of :l; ■
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ] 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ] 
First Regular Session 
]
25 JUL 15 PI :59
S.B. No.
SENATE
638
Rl'Cti - .;'j QV,
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
PROVIDING INDIGENT JOBSEEKERS DISCOUNTED OR WAIVED FEES AND 
CHARGES IN THE ISSUANCE OF CERTAIN PRE-EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 3, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution expressly provides that the State 
shall afford full protection to labor, and promote full employment and equality of 
employment opportunities for all. Similarly, Section 9, Article II of the 1987 
Constitution deems it a State policy to promote a just and dynamic social order that 
will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from 
poverty through policies that provide adequate social services and promote full 
employment.
Consistent with the constitutional mandate to promote full employment and 
equality of gainful work. Republic Act No. 11261 or the "First Time Jobseekers 
Assistance Act" was signed into law in 2019, providing waived fees and charges for 
the issuance of pre-employment documents to first-time jobseekers. This law aims to 
alleviate the financial burden faced by young Filipinos entering the workforce, 
removing at least some of the hurdles faced by first-time jobseekers.
In addition to first-time jobseekers, however, another sector in need of similar 
support mechanisms from the government are indigent jobseekers whose access to 
employment opportunities are already hampered by their inability to shoulder the costs


of securing pre-employment documents from various government agencies. For 
individuals v\/ho have no visible means of income or whose incomes fall below the 
official poverty threshold, the corresponding fees for the issuance of pre-employment 
documents, no matter how minimal, are yet additional expenses competing with their 
basic needs of food, health, education, or housing.
The "Kabalikat sa Hanapbuhay Act' aims to provide a more equitable 
distribution of employment opportunities, with due regard to the specific needs of 
underprivileged Filipinos seeking gainful employment. Under this proposed measure, 
indigent jobseekers shall be granted a twenty percent (20%) discount in the payment 
of fees and charges for various government clearances and certificates requisite for 
pre-employment application. This bill similarly provides for waiver of fees and charges 
required to acquire the Transcript of Records, Transfer Credentials, Authenticated 
Copy of Diploma, and Certificate of Good Moral Character from the State Universities 
and Colleges, and Local Universities and Colleges of the indigent jobseeker. By waiving 
fees and charges for the issuance of pre-employment documents to indigent 
jobseekers, this measure aims to make employment opportunities more accessible to 
everyone, with the end goal of lowering unemployment in the country, alleviating 
poverty, and improving the standard of living of all Filipinos.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this rngasure is earnestly
sought.
GATCH


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. No. 638
of C
25 JUL 15 PI :59
RKEIVED BY
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
PROVIDING INDIGENT JOBSEEKERS DISCOUNTED OR WAIVED FEES 
AND CHARGES IN THE ISSUANCE OF CERTAIN PRE-EMPLOYMENT 
DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembied:
1 
SEC. 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Kabaiikat sa
2 
Hanapbuhay Act'.
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote
4 
a just and dynamic order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of
5 
the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide
6 
adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living,
7 
and an improved quality of life for all.
8 
Further, the State shall strive for a more equitable distribution of
9 
opportunities, decent jobs, income, and wealth; a sustained increase in the
10 
amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the people, and an
11 
expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially
12 
the underprivileged. To this end, the State shall provide indigent jobseekers a
13 
twenty percent (20%) discount in the payment of fees and charges or waived
14 
fees for certain certificates and clearances issued by government agencies.


1 
SEC. 3. Identification of Beneficiaries. - As used in this Act, an
2 
indigent jobseeker refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and
3 
has no visible means of income or whose income falls below the official poverty
4 
threshold, as identified by the Department of Economy, Planning, and
5 
Development (DEPDev) and/or cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide
6 
their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, housing and other
7 
essential amenities of life.
8 
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), based on the criteria set under
9 
the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) as established under
10 
Republic Act No. 11315, otherwise known as the "Community-Based Monitoring
11 
System Act", shall validate the list of indigent households in the Listahanan of
12 
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to identify indigent
13 
individuals. The Local Social Welfare Development Officer (LSWDO) of the
14 
city/municipality or any equivalent unit of the municipality where the indigent
15 
jobseeker resides is authorized to issue a Certificate of Indigency based on the
16 
latest CBMS data, the abovementioned criteria, and established guidelines, as
17 
proof of eligibility of jobseekers in availing the privileges provided for under this
18 
Act. Such certification shall be free of charge.
19 
For purposes of identifying indigent jobseekers, any other unified
20 
targeting system duly agreed upon by the Inter-Agency Coordinating and
21 
Monitoring Committee may be used in the future.
22 
An indigent jobseeker whose household is enrolled under the seven-year
23 
period "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)" shall be automatically
24 
considered as indigent and eligible to avail of the privileges under this Act.
25 
First time jobseekers who avail of waived government fees and charges
26 
in the issuance of pre-employment documents under Republic Act No. 11261
27 
or the "First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act" are not covered by this Act.
28 
SEC. 4. Discount on Fees and Charges for Clearances and
29 
Certificates. - Indigent jobseekers, whether here or abroad, shall be granted
30 
a twenty percent (20%) discount in the payment of fees and charges for the
31 
following clearances and certificates requisite for pre-employment application:


1 
(a) 
Clearance from the barangay where the jobseeker resides;
2 
(b) 
Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);
3 
(c) 
National Police Clearance from the Philippine National Police
4 
(PNP);
5 
(d) 
Medical certificate for local employment from any government
6 
hospital licensed by the Department of Health (DOH), and medical
7 
certificate for foreign employment from any DOH-accredited
8 
medical facility for overseas workers and seafarers;
9 
(e) 
Certificate of marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority
10 
(PSA);
11 
(f) 
Certificate of live birth from the PSA;
12 
(g) 
National Certificate and Certificate of Competency (COC) from the
13 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);
14 
(h) 
Certificate of Civil Service Eligibility from the Civil Service
15 
Commission (CSC); and
16 
(i) 
Other documentary requirements issued by the government that
17 
may be required by employers from indigent jobseekers, as
18 
determined and approved by the Inter-Agency Coordinating and
19 
Monitoring Committee established in Section 6 of this Act.
20 
Indigent jobseekers may avail of the privilege of discounted fees not
21 
more than once every six (6) months from each government agency.
22 
SEC. 5. Waiver of Fees and Charges for Pre-Employment
23 
Documents - The fees and charges required to acquire the Transcript of
24 
Records, Transfer Credentials, Authenticated Copy of Diploma, and Certificate
25 
of Good Moral Character from the State Universities and Colleges, and Local
26 
Universities and Colleges of the jobseeker: Provided, That the indigent
27 
jobseeker may avail of the privilege of waived fees not more than once every
28 
six (6) months.
29 
SEC. 6. Prohibited Acts and Penalties. - (a) Any public officer or
30 
employee who refuses or fails to issue a Certificate of Indigency, or to provide
31 
the benefit granted to the indigent jobseeker in violation of Sections 4 and 5 of


1 
this Act shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than Ten
2 
thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00) but not more than Fifty thousand pesos (Php
3 
50,000.00). The penalty of temporary disqualification to hold public office for a
4 
period of five (5) years shall also be imposed.
5 
(b) A jobseeker who misrepresents or falsifies any document to avail of
6 
the benefits provided under this Act or abuses the privilege granted herein shall
7 
be prosecuted and punished in accordance with prevailing penal laws, and shall
8 
suffer perpetual disqualification from availing any of the privileges under this
9 
Act.
10 
Administrative sanctions may be imposed without prejudice to
11 
prosecution under this Act. Prosecution for an offense under this Act shall be
12 
without prejudice to any liability for violation of any other existing laws, rules
13 
and regulations.
14 
SEC. 7. Indigent Jobseekers Database. - The Public Employment
15 
Service Office in coordination with the LSWDO shall establish and maintain a
16 
database system containing an updated roster of all indigent jobseekers who
17 
availed of the benefits under this Act.
18 
The PhilJobnet platform of the Department of Labor and Employment
19 
(DOLE) shall serve as the monitoring mechanism to record, monitor and report
20 
the availment of the benefits granted to indigent jobseekers.
21 
SEC. 8. Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee.
22 
- An Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee ("the Committee")
23 
shall be established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of this Act.
24 
The Committee shall be composed of the following:
25 
(a) 
Secretary of Labor and Employment or their 
authorized
26 
representative, as Chairperson;
27 
(b) 
Secretary of Interior and Local Government or their authorized
28 
representative, as Vice Chairperson; and
29 
(c) 
The following as Members:


1
(i)
2
3
(ii)
4
5
(iii)
6
(iv)
7
(V)
8
(Vi)
9
(vii)
10
11
(viii)
12
13
(ix)
14
15
16
(X)
17
18
(xi)
19
20
(xii)
21
22
The Co
23
(a) 
■
24
1
25
(b) 
■
26
1
27
1
28
(c) 
■
29
(
30
(d) 
■
31
I
Secretary of Migrant Workers or their authorized 
representative;
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA 
or their authorized representative;
Chief of the PNP or their authorized representative; 
Director of the NBI or their authorized representative; 
Secretary of the DOH or their authorized representative; 
Chairperson of the CSC or their authorized representative; 
Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education 
(CHED) or their authorized representative; 
Director-General of TESDA or their authorized 
representative;
Presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangay, League of 
Municipalities of the Philippines, and League of Cities of 
the Philippines or their authorized representatives;
Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission 
(NAPC) or their authorized representative;
Chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous 
Peoples (NCIP) or their authorized representative;
And such other agencies or stakeholders as may be 
necessary.
littee shall have the following functions:
To coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of this 
Act;
To make recommendations for concerned agencies to ensure the 
effective and efficient delivery of services in providing the benefits 
for indigent jobseekers under this Act;
To identify and approve other pre-employment certificates and 
clearances;
To review, evaluate, and amend accordingly the clearances and 
certificates covered under this Act; and


1 
(e) To submit an annual report to Congress on the implementation
2 
of this Act.
3 
SEC. 9. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - Upon the
4 
effectivity of this Act, a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) is
5 
hereby constituted. The JCOC shall set the overall framework to review the
6 
implementation of this Act.
7 
The JCOC shall be composed of fourteen (14) members with the
8 
chairpersons of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House of
9 
Representatives, and of the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural
10 
Development of the Senate as Co-Chairpersons, and six (6) members from each
11 
House, to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
12 
the Senate President respectively.
13 
The Secretariat of the JCOC shall be drawn from the existing personnel
14 
of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House of Representatives, and
15 
the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development of the Senate.
16 
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6)
17 
months after the effectivity of this Act, the DOLE shall, in consultation with the
18 
Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Migrant
19 
Workers, PSA, PNP, NBI, DOH, CSC, CHED, TESDA, Leagues of Barangay,
20 
Municipalities, and Cities, NAPC and NCIP, promulgate the rules and regulations
21 
to implement this Act.
22 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is
23 
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions hereof not
24 
otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.
25 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or
26 
issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or
27 
regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby
28 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.


1 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
2 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
3 
circulation.
4 
Approved,