Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
1 Regular Session

453

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative OMAR S. DUFERTE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Education remains one of the most valuable gifts that Filipino families can provide to the next
gencration, For many houscholds, particularly those living in poverty or belonging to indigenous
cultural communities, a child’s graduation is not only a personal success but a shared victory that

reflects years of sacrifice, res

jence, and hope.

While the Philippine government has made significant strides in making education more
accessible through state universitics and scholarship programs, many hidden and continuing
costs persist. beyond graduation, Daily transportation, meals, school. supplies, and most notably,
the fees for professional licensure examinations place a heavy burden on financially struggling
graduates. These challenges are even more pronounced for members of marginalized and

geographically isolated communities.

Among the most costly post-graduation requirements are board examinations, which are
necessary for professions such as teaching, engineering, nursing, among others. Thus, it becomes
of bereft disappointment that licensure exams, which are designed to assess a graduate’s
competence and readiness to practice, are being sifted early by an examiner's ability to pay. For
many indigent and Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural Communities (IP/ICC) graduates,
the cost of taking these exams becomes a barrier to entering their chosen field, regardless of the

arduous years of hard work and academic achievement.

This proposed measure secks to institutionalize free licensure examinations for qualified indigent
examinees, including members of Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural Communities

(@P/ICC). It aims to ensure that financial limitations do not prevent deserving individuals from


becoming licensed professionals, By removing this barrier, the measure promotes cqual
opportunity, uplifts underrepresented sectors, and strengthens the country’s human resource

hase.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

HON. OMAR S. eget


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
1" Regular Session

453

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative OMAR S, DUTERTE

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR FREE PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS TO QUALIFIED
INDIGENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES (IP/ICCS)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title, — This Act shall be known as the “Free Professional
Pxamrinations Act.”

SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. — \t is declared policy of the State to promote full
employment and to provide equal opportunities for employment for all.

Corollary to this is the concomitant responsibility of the State to ensure thet there are no
inroads that may effectively hinder the professional growth of the citizens, Furthermore, it is the
policy of the State to promote a just and dynamic social order that will free the people from
poverty through policies and programs that provide adequate social services, and improve the
quality of life for all. In this regard, efforts should be initiated so as to afford the poor access to
mechanisms that may expand opportunities for better employment.

SEC 3. Definition of Terms. — As provided for in this Act:

a. “Professional Examinations” shall refer to the licensure examinations conducted
by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) leading to the issuance of a
professional license. It shall also include examinations conducted by the Civil Service
Commission (CSC) leading to eligibility for employment to the government as a civil
setvice professional or sub professionals and the Bar F:xaminations conducted by the
Supreme Court of the Philippines.

b. “Qualified Indigents” refers to a person who has no visible means of income or
support, of whose income may not be sufficient for the subsistence or basic needs of
his family, as may be determined by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD).

c. “Qualified Member of the Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural
Communities” refers to a member of the Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural


Communities, as may be verified by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples

@ciP),

SEC 4. Requirements for Availment. — Vor purposes of availing of the benefits of this
Act, an examinee shall secure a certification as a qualified indigent from the DSWD or
cettification as a member of the Indigenous Peoples /Indigenious Cultural Communities feom the
NCIP. Such certification shall be presented to the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC),
the Civil Service Commission (CSC) or the Supreme Court of the Philippines, as the case may
be, in lieu of the payment of examination fees.

No other fee shall be charged against the qualified indigent or member of the IP/ICCs
for purposes of the professional examination.

SEC 5. Limitations on Availment. — Benefits of this Act may be availed of by a qualified
indigent or member of the IP/ICCs only once for every year.

SEC 6. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign. — ‘The DSWD,
NCIP, PRE, ESC and che Supreme Court of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA), is hereby mandated to conduct an annual IEC campaign in order to
inform the people of the procedures and guidelines in availing the benefits of this Act.

SEC 7. Reportorial Requirement, Vor purposes of determining the effectiveness and
social impact of the provisions of this Act, the DSWD, NCIP, PRC, CSC and the Supreme Court
of the Philippines shall submit an annual report to both Houses of Congress indicating therewith
the number of parties who benefited from this Act.

SEC 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrces, orders, rules and regulations or other
issuances of parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed and

modified accordingly.

SEC 9. Separability Clause. — \f any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of other provisions.

SEC 10. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,