REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Third Regular Session
8409

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

House Bill

EXPLANATORY NOTE

A study conducted by the Asian Development Bank revealed that it takes about a year for a
fresh college graduate to find a job while it takes three (3) years for a high school graduate to
find their first employment. The same study states that regulations and restrictions on
employment arrangements is one of the strong factors influencing their school-to-work
transition.

In addition, the ADB study stated that Fresh graduates need to contend with change, waiting,
and uncertainty. Young Filipinos seeking to find their first employment are likewise
subjected to a tedious job-hunting process which involves securing and spending for
government clearances, certificates and identification documents, among others.

On the average, a fresh graduate needs to spend around P2,000 to secure a copy of all the
required documents issued by various government agencies that he/ she needs to submit for
employment. The amount poses a burden to students and their families who have yet to
recover from the high costs of college education.

Hence, there is a need to ease this burden that fresh graduates experience from fees and
charges being collected by various government agencies for the issuance of documents
needed for employment. This proposed measure seeks to exempt first-time jobseekers from
the fees required by government agencies on documents necessary for job application. With
this measure, we will be able to enhance the youth’s access to employment.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this ig earnestly sought.

YY C/ALEJANO:
‘Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List



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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

8409

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO.

House Bill Ne

AN ACT
WAIVING GOVERNMENT FEES AND CHARGES ON THE ISSUANCE OF
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED IN THE APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT OF
FIRST TIME JOBSEEKERS

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

SEC. 1. Short Title.- This Act shall be known as “ First Time Jobseekers Assistance
Act of 2018.”

SEC.2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to recognize the role of
the youth in nation building. As such, it shall promote and protect their rights, interest and
well-being, by, among others, expanding access to government services to enable young
people, especially first time jobseekers to find employment.

SEC:3. Coverage.- The provision of this Act shall apply to all first time jobseekers,
which shall include the following

a) New graduates from all schools, colleges and universities, and from accredited
institutions offering technical-vocational courses. For purposes of this Act, a new
graduate is a Filipino who just finished a bachelor’s degree from any college or
university, or completed a technical-vocational course from any accredited
institution in the Philippines, as well as high-school graduates who have
completed the K-12 program.

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An early school leaver or a person not employed or engaged in education or
training or a student taking a leave of absence, from an institution offering college
or tertiary education or a from a technical-vocational course, or any person
working part-time while enrolled in an academic institution.

SEC.3. Waiver of Fees and Charges. Government agencies and instrumentalities,
including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), local government units
(LGUs) and government hospitals shall not collect fees or charges from a first time jobseeker:
Provided, That such fee or charge is paid in connection with the application for and the
granting of licenses, proof of identification, clearances, certificates, or other documents
usually required in the course of employment locally or abroad.


SECS. Covered Documentary Requirements.- No fees shall be collected from first
time jobseekers for the following documents:

(a) Police Clearance Certificate, subject to the restriction in Section 6;
(b) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
(c) Barangay Clearance

(4) Medical Certificate from public hospitals operated by the Department of Health
and other government institutions;

(e) Birth and/or Marriage Certificate

(8) Tax Identification Number;

(g) The Unified Multi-Purpose LD card (UMID), and

(h) Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required
by employers for first time jobseekers.

SEC. Proof of Graduation, Leave of Absence, or Date of Last Completed Studies.-
First time jobseekers availing the benefits provided under this Act shall present the following
proof:

(a) New graduates shall submit a certified true copy of the diploma or certification
from the concemed academic, vocational or technical institution that the first time
Jobseekers has successfully completed the course required or has earned academic
‘units.

The diploma or certification shall clearly state the date of graduation or
completion of the degree or qualification eamed and duly signed by the
institution's duly authorized representative.

(b) Those on leave of absence, or those who are early school leavers or those not
employed or engaged in education or training shall present a certification of leave
of absence (LOA) or of the date of last enrolment from the concerned academic,
vocational or technical institution.

The certification shall state clearly the units earned the date of last enrolment and
the reason/s for taking a leave of absence. It shall be signed by the institution's
duly authorized representative and the school’s guidance counselor or similarly
designated faculty member.

(©) Those working part-time shall present a certification from their academic
institution that they are currently enrolled in their program, and are duly
authorized by their academic institution that they are allowed to pursue
employment while studying.

‘A photocopy of the diploma or certification required under this Section shall serve as
sufficient proof for the concerned government agency to grant the waiver: Provided, That the
concemed government agency shall have the right to examine the authenticity of the document
submitted, and deny the waiver of fees provided under this Act; Provided, That the first time
jobseeker shall have the opportunity to prove the authenticity of the documents he submitted;
Provided further, That any person found guilty of fabricating or falsifying any document
required under this Section shall be liable under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code.


SEC.7. One-Time Eligibility.- A first time jobseeker shall only be entitled the
benefits provided under this Act only one (1) time within one (1) year from the date of
graduation or the leave of absence or enrolment, as indicated in the certification required
under Section 5 of this Act.

The concerned government agencies shall maintain an annual roster of all individuals
who have been issued documents under this Act. This roster shall be submitted to the
Department of Information and Communication Technology, which shall compile a database
of all beneficiaries of this Act. The database shall be accessible to all the agencies that have
granted the waiver of fees and charges to first time jobseekers.

However, the government agencies have the discretion to grant additional eligibility if
the first time jobseekers is able to prove application to other opportunities for employment
through a certification by their potential employer; Provided, that the eligibility shall be
allowed to be availed of not more than two (2) times.

SECS. One Stop Shop.- ‘The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in different
provinces, cities and municipalities shall serve as a One Stop Shop for first time jobseekers to
secure all documents necessary for their employment application. The PESO shall assist first
time jobseekers in securing the required document, certification or clearance and in
registering/enrolling first time jobseekers with relevant government agencies such as the
Bureau of Intemal Revenue, Social Security System, Home Development Mutual
Corporation, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, among others.

SEC.9. Exceptions.- The waiver of fees and charges provided under this Act shall not
include those collected in connection with an application to take a professional licensure
examination conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), application for a
Philippine passport from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), authentication and red
ribbon of documents from the DFA, application for a Career Service Examination with the
Civil Service Examination, and application for a driver’s license from the Land
Transportation Authority (LTO).

SEC.10, Inter-agency Monitoring Committee- An inter-agency monitoring
committee is hereby created to monitor the compliance of the concemed goverment
agencies granting the waiver of fees and charges as provided under this Act. The Committee
shall recommend to the proper authorities the filing of an administrative complaint against
any person who refuses to comply with the provision of this Act.

‘The Committee shall be composed of the following agencies:

(a) Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), as chairperson

(b) Chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) or any his/her authorized
representatives;

(c) Secretary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
or any of his/her authorized representatives;

(d) Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF) or any his/her authorized
representatives;

(e) Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) or any his/her authorized
representatives;


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(© Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) or any his/her
authorized representatives; and

(g) Chairman of the National Youth Commission (NYC) or any his/her authorized
representatives.

SEC.11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The CHED, in consultation with
DOLE, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other relevant
stakeholders, shall issue the relevant rules and regulations to effectively implement the
provision of this Act.

SEC.12. Separability Clause.- If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected
thereby.

SEC.13. Repealing Clause.- All laws, decrees, orders, ordinances, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,