NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No» 2382
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23 AUG-1 PI :38
RECEIVllDBV.
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
AN ACT
PROVIDING DISCOUNT FOR INDIGENT JOB APPLICANTS IN THE 
PAYMENT OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR CERTAIN CERTIFICATES AND 
CLEARANCES ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR EMPLOYMENT
APPLICATION
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Unemployment and underemployment lie at the core of poverty. Among our 
indigent citizens, labor opportunities are seen to be one of the prospective windows 
that can help improve their well-being and their family's quality of life1. Therefore, 
availment of productive employment opportunities is essential for achieving poverty 
reduction and sustainable economic and social development.
The 1987 Constitution clearly provides in Sec. 9, Article II, that it is the duty of 
the State to "free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate 
social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved 
quality of life for all."
For this reason, the pivotal role of the Government to assist the poor, through 
enactment of measures that will facilitate easy access to decent jobs that both secure 
income and the necessary entitlements for them, is imperative.
1 United Nations (NA) Employment and Decent Work. Retrieved from:
https://www.un.org/development/desa/socialperspectiveondevelopment/issues/employment-and-decent-work.html . Accessed last 11 
March 2020.


Presently, unemployment persists in the country at a rate of 5.3%, based on 
the January 2020 data of the Philippine Statistics Authority2. This implies that there 
are 2.39 million Filipinos who are in need of employment, most of whom are the poor.
Unemployment worsens the government's effort to eradicate poverty3. It 
fiscally burdens both the unemployed and the country by depriving the poor its means 
to support its household's basic needs and demands the government to deal with the 
loss of income, decreased production and additional spending for social welfare 
support.
The poor should be assisted in finding decent work so that they will be liberated 
from such arduous conditions. It is the humble intention of this proposed measure to 
encourage and assist indigent job seekers in securing gainful employment by providing 
them a Twenty Percent (20%) discount in the payment of fees and charges for certain 
clearances and certificates issued by some government agencies which are required 
for pre-employment application.
By reducing some of their financial burdens in the process of finding jobs, 
indigent job applicants are afforded modest support and chances to find work.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator
2 Rivas, R (5 March 2020) Philippine employment, unemployment rates steady in January 2020. Retrieved from:
https://www.rappler.com/business/253479-employment-unemployment-rates-philippines-january-2020. Accessed last: 11 March 2020.
3 Ordinario, C. (25 February 2013) lack of decent jobs worsens poverty. Retrieved from: https://www.rappler.com/business/22532-lack- 
of-decent-jobs-worsens-poverty. Accessed last 10 March 2020
2


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 2382
23 AUB-1 PI 38
RECEiVEO SV;
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
1 
AN ACT
2 
PROVIDING DISCOUNT FOR INDIGENT JOB APPLICANTS IN THE
3 
PAYMENT OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR CERTAIN CERTIFICATES AND
4 
CLEARANCES ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR EMPLOYMENT
5 
APPLICATION
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
6 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Indigent Job Applicants
7 
Discount Act."
8 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote a just
9 
and dynamic order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and
10 
free people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services,
11 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living and improved quality of life for
12 
all.
13 
Further, the State shall strive to promote full employment and equality of
14 
gainful work and opportunities for its citizens. Toward this end, the state shall expand
15 
accessibility to government services and provide acceptable discounts and incentives
16 
to enhance indigent jobseekers' access to decent employment.
17 
Sec. 3. Provision of Twenty Percent (20%) Discount. - Indigent job applicants,
18 
whether locally or abroad, shall be granted a Twenty Percent (20%) discount in the


1 
payment of fees and charges for the following clearances and certificates requisite for
2 
pre-employment application:
3 
a. Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides;
4 
b. Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);
5 
c. Clearance from the Philippine National Police (PNP);
6 
d. Medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital
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licensed by the Department of Health (DOH), and medical certificate for
8 
foreign employment from ariy DOH-accredited medical facility for Filipino
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overseas workers;
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e. Certificate of marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);
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f. Certificate of live birth from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);
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g. Transcript of Records (TOR) from the State Universities and Colleges of the
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applicant;
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h. Tax Identification Number (TIN);
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i. Certificate of Good Moral Character (CGMCS) from the State Universities and
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Colleges of the applicant; and
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j. Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be
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required by employers from indigent job applicants.
19 
The indigent job applicant may avail of the privileges under this Act only once
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every six (6) months from each government agency.
21 
Sec. 4. Identification of Beneficiaries. - For purpose of this Act, an indigent job
22 
applicant refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and has no visible
23 
means of income or whose income falls below the official poverty threshold, and as
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identified and certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) based on the criteria
25 
set under the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) as established under


1 
Republic Act No. 11315. The city or municipality shall issue the certificates of indigency
2 
based on the latest CBMS data.
3 
Sec. 5. Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee. - An Inter-
4 
Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee shall be established to coordinate and
5 
monitor the implementation of this Act.
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Sec. 6. Composition of the Committee. - The Committee shall be composed of
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the following:
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10
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12
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15
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17
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19
20 
21
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a. Secretary of Labor and Employment or his authorized representative as 
Chairperson;
b. National Statistician and Civil Registrar-General of the Philippine 
Statistics Authority or his authorized representative, as Vice Chairperson;
c. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government or his authorized 
representative as Member;
d. Secretary of Justice or his authorized representative as Member;
e. Chief of the Philippine National Police or his authorized representative as 
Member;
f. Director of the National Bureau of Investigation or his authorized 
representative as Member;
g. Secretary of Health or his authorized representative as Member;
h. Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission or his 
authorized representative as Member; and
i. Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education.
23 
Sec. 7. Functions of the Committee. - The Committee shall have the following
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functions:
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a. To coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act;


1 
b. To make recommendations for concerned agencies to ensure the
2 
effective and efficient delivery of benefit for indigent job applicants under
3 
this Act; and
4 
c. To submit an annual report to Congress on the implementation of this
5 
Act.
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Sec. 8. Penalties. -
7 
a. Any public officer or employee who refuses or fails to provide the benefit
8 
granted to the indigent job applicant in violation of Section 3 of this Act
9 
shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than Five Thousand
10 
Pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Twenty Thousand Pesos
11 
(P20,000.00).
12 
Prosecution for an offense set forth in this Act shall be without prejudice
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to any liability for violation of any other existing laws, including civil
14 
service law, rules and regulations.
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b. A job applicant who misrepresents or falsifies any document to avail of
16 
benefits provided under this Act or abuses the privilege granted herein
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shall be prosecuted and punished in accordance with the pertinent
18 
provisions of Republic Act No. 3185, as amended, otherwise known as
19 
the Revised Penal Code, and shall suffer perpetual disqualification from
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availing of the privileges under this Act.
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Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the
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effectivity of this Act, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in
23 
consultation with Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Department of Interior and
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Local Government (DILG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National
25 
Police (PNP), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health (DOH), the National
26 
Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
27 
shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this
28 
Act.


1 
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or provision of
2 
this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall
3 
not be affected and thereby remain in full force and effect.
4 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and rules and
5 
regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby
6 
repealed or modified accordingly.
7 
Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
8 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
9 
Approved,