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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4828

INTRODUCED BY TUTOK TO WIN
PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVE SAM “SV” VERZOSA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

InJune 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that 2.99 million
of the Filipinos remain unemployed. It likewise reported that poverty incidence
among population in 2021 reached 18.1 percent, accounting for around 19.99 million
Filipinos who lived below the poverty threshold of about PhP 12,030 per month for a

family of five.

Republic Act No. 11291, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of the Poor,
mandates the State to uplift the standard of living and quality of life of the poor and
provide them with sustained opportunities for growth and development. To achieve
this, investments in anti-poverty programs to enable the poor to fully participate in
the country’s growth and development shall be among the top priorities of the State.

This bill encourages and aids the poor applicants to seek and secure gainful
employment by providing them Twenty Percent (20%) discount in the payment of fees
and charges for clearances and certificates issued by government agencies, public

schools, colleges and universities being required for pre-employment application.


By easing the financial obstacles in processing the employment requirements,
the underprivileged will be more motivated and empowered to secure jobs and be an

instrument to nation-building and development.

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

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SAM “SV” VERZOSA
Representative
Tutok to Win Party-List


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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

“No, 4828

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY TUTOK TO WIN
PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVE SAM “SV” VERZOSA

AN ACT
PROVIDING POOR JOB APPLICANTS A 20% DISCOUNT IN THE PAYMENT
OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR CERTAIN CERTIFICATES AND CLEARANCES
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

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 "Poor Job Applicants
Discount Act".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote a
just and dynamic order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation
and 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.

Further, the State shall strive for a more equitable distribution of opportunities,
income and wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of goods and services
produced by the nation for the benefit of the people, and an expanding productivity
as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged. To this
end, the State shall provide a Twenty Percent (20%) discount for poor job applicants
in the payment of fees and charges for certain certificates and clearances issued by

government agencies.


SECTION 3. Provision of Twenty Percent (20%) Discount. - Poor job
applicants, whether here or abroad, shall be granted a Twenty percent (20%) discount
in the payment of fees and charges for the following clearances and certificates
requisite for pre-employment application:

(a) Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides;

(b) Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);

(©) Clearance from the Philippine National Police (PNP);

(d) Medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital

licensed by the Department of Health (DOH);

(e) Certificate of marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);

() Certificate of live birth from the PSA;

(g) Transcript of Records from the State Universities and Colleges of the

applicant;

(h) Certificate of Good Moral Character from the State Universities and

Colleges of the applicant; and

() Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be

required by employers from poor job applicants.

The poor job applicant may avail of the privileges under this Act only once
every six (6) months from each government agency.

SECTION 4. Identification of Beneficiaries. - As used in this Act, a poor job
applicant refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and has no visible
means of income or whose income falls below the official poverty threshold, as
identified and certified by the PSA based on the criteria set-under the Community-
Based Monitoring System (CBMS) as established under Republic Act No. 11315,
otherwise known as "An Act Establishing a Community-Based Monitoring System
and Appropriating Funds Therefor".

Members of the households of the "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program"
(4Ps) shall be automatically considered as "poor" and are eligible to avail of the
privileges under this Act.

SECTION 5. Penalties. - a) Any public officer or employee who refuses or fails
to provide the benefit granted to the poor job applicant in violation of Section 3 of this

2


Act shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos
(P5,000.00) but not more than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00).

Prosecution for an offense set forth in this Act shall be without prejudice to any
liability for violation of any other existing laws, including civil service law, rules and
regulations.

b) A job applicant who misrepresents or falsifies any document to avail of
benefits provided under this Act or abuses the privilege granted herein shall be
prosecuted and punished in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act
No. 3185, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code, and shall suffer
perpetual disqualification in availing the privileges under this Act.

SECTION 6. Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee. - An
inter-agency coordinating and monitoring committee, hereinafter referred to as the
Committee, shall be established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of this
Act.

The Committee shall be composed of the following:

(a) Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the
authorized representative as Chairperson;

(b) National Statistician and Civil Registrar-General of the PSA or the
authorized representative, as Vice Chairperson;

(©) Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
or the authorized representative as Member;

(d) Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the authorized
representative as Member;

(e) Chief of the PNP or the authorized representative as Member;

(f) Director of the NBI or the authorized representative as Member;

(g) Secretary of the DOH or the authorized representative as Member;

(h) Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) or
the authorized representative as Member; and

(i) Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The Committee shall have the following functions:


(a) To coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act;

(v) To make recommendations for concerned agencies to ensure the
effective and efficient delivery of benefit to poor job applicants under
this Act; and

(©) To submit an annual report to Congress on the implementation of this
Act.

SECTION 7. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - Upon the effectivity
of this Act, a Congressional Oversight Committee is hereby constituted. The
Committee shall set the overall framework to review the implementation of this Act.
It shall likewise determine inherent weaknesses in the law and recommend necessary
remedial legislation or executive measures.

The Committee shall be composed of fourteen (14) members with the
chairpersons of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural
Development of the Senate as Co-Chairpersons, and six (6) members from each House,
to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Senate
President, respectively.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOLE, in
consultation with the PSA, DILG, NBI, PNP, DOJ, DOH, NAPC, and CHED shall issue
the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within
six (6) months after the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions thereof, not otherwise
affected, shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.


Approved,