\ • 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2 2 6 0 
INTRODUCED BY SEN, JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
'14 
MAY 28 P6 :09 
PROVIDING PRE-EMPLOYMENT PRIVILEGE TO INDIGENTS BY GRANTING 
A 
DISCOUNT 
ON 
FEES 
IN 
SECURING 
PRE-EMPLOYMENT 
CERTIFICATIONS AND CLEARANCES FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 9, Article II of the 1987 Constitution states that: 
"The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that 
will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free 
the people from poverly through policies and provide adequate 
social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, 
and improved quality of life for all. " 
Poverty continues to be a major problem in the Philippines despite government 
efforts to redUce it. There is still a large segment of tile popUlation W!1Q cannQl 
liberate themselves from the bondage of poverty because of lack of employment 
opportunities. While they are capable to work, the limited opportunities and the 
quality of jobs available prevent poor ~i1ipinos from escaping poverty. Apart from 
these difficulties, the payment of certificates and clearances which are usually 
. required for employment are additional burden to applicants who do not even 
have enough money for subsistence. 
This measure aims to lessen the financial burden on the indigents who are 
seeking employment by exempting them once a year from paying any fees when 
securing pre-employment certificates and clearances from government offices. 
This proposal will not only extend assistance to the indigents but will also make it 
easier for them to secure some of the requirements needed in applying for work. 
It will encourage them to find employment so that they can be self-reliant and 
become productive members of the society. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
OY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


, 
. 
P' 
i 
~!?rtntr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRI;SS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
" 
(~rr,;t tor Ill' ;i>m.t.'~ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'14 
MAY 28 P6 :09 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2 2 6 0 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING PRE-EMPLOYMENT PRIVILEGE TO INDIGENTS BY GRANTING 
A 
DISCOUNT 
ON 
FEES 
IN 
SECURING 
PRE-EMPLOYMENT 
CERTIFICATIONS AND CLEARANCES FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -
This Act shall be known as "Indigents Pre-
2 
Employment Privilege Act." 
3 
4 
S 
SEC. 2. Deelaration of Polley. - It is the peliey of the State to promote a just 
6 
and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the 
7 
nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate 
8 
social services, promote full employment, a riSing standard of living and improved 
9 
quality of life for all. Towards this end, the State shall grant indigent job applicant 
lOa discount on fees when they secure pre-employment certificates and clearance 
11 
from government agencies. ' 
. 
.. 
12 
1~ 
14 
SEC. 3. Indigent Pre-employment Privilege. - An indigent job applicant shall 
15 
be entitled to a twenty percent (20%) discount on fees charged by government 
16 
agencies in processing the following documents for employment purposes: 
17 
18 
(a) Barangay clearance; 
19 
(b) Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); 
20 
(c) Police clearance from the regional Philippine National Police (PNP) office 
21 
where the indigent resides; 
22 
(d) Medical certificate from the E>epartment of Health (E>OH); 
23 
(e) Marriage certificate from the National Statistics Office (NSO); and, 
24 
(f) Authenticated birth certificate of the indigent job applicant and one 
25 
dependent from the NSO or the Office of the Local Civil Registrar. 
26 
?:7 
Thfil gi~c.QI}.!1' m~y Qfil ~v~il~g Qf I:lY 'h~ i!1Qig~!1' jQQ ~ppliC:;~!1t Q!1C:;~ !l\ Yfil~r frQm 
28 
each government agency. Only one indigent job applicant per household and 
29 
one of his dependents shall be entitled to the discount. 
30 
31 
For purposes of this Act, an indigent job applicant refers to a person who is 
32 
seeking gainful employment. Further, he has no visible means of income or 
33 
whose income is insuffieient to the subsistenee of his family as identified and 
1 


1 
certified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 
2 
based on the oriteria set under the National Household Targeting System for 
3 
Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR). 
4 
5 
6 
SEC. 4. Penalties. _. Any person, government entity, agency or hospital who 
7 
refuses or fails to provide the benefits granted to the indigent in violation of this 
8 
Act shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but 
9 
not more than one (1) year or a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos 
1Q 
(P1Q,QQQ,QQ) byt not more th~n Fifty ThoYs~nd Pesos (Pl?Q,QQQ.QQ) of both, ~t 
11 
the discretion of the court. 
12 
13 
A.ny person who misrepresents his status or falsifies any document to avail of 
14 
benefits provided under this Act or any person who abuses the privilege granted 
15 
herein shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but 
16 
not more than one (1) year or a fine of not less than five Thousand Pesos 
17 
(P5,000.00) but not more than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,OOO.OO) or both, at the 
18 
discretion of the court. 
19 
20 
Upon finding by the DSWD that a hospital, department, agency of instrumentality 
21 
of the Qovernment or a local Qovernment unit had violated any provision of this 
22 
Act, sanctions under the administrative law, civil service or other laws may be 
23 
recommended to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) OR THE Department of 
24 
Intarior and Local Government (DILG) against the head of the agency or the local 
25 
chief executive and the person directly responsible for the violation. 
26 
27 
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SEC. 5. Inter-agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee. - An inter-
29 
agency coordinating and monitoring committee, hereinafter referred to as the 
30 
Committee, shall be established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of 
31 
this Act. The Committee shall be composes of the following: 
32 
33 
A) Secretary of the Social Welfare and Development, as Chairperson; 
34 
B) Chairperson of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), as 
35 
Vice-Chairperson; 
36 
C) Secretary of Health authorized representative; 
37 
D) Secretary of the Interior and Local Government or authorized 
38 
representative; 
39 
E) Administrator of the National Statistics Office; 
40 
F) Chief of the PNP or authorized representative; and 
41 
G) Chief af NBI or authorized representative. 
42 
43 
The Committee shall submit a regular report to Congress on the 
44 
implementation of this Act every three (3) years following its effectivity. 
45 
46 
47 
SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from 
48 
the approval of this Act. The DSWD, in consultation and coordination with NAPC, 
49 
DOH, DILG, PNP, NSO, and NBI, shall issues the necessary rules and 
50 
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
51 
52 
·53 
SiC. 7. Effectivity. -
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
54 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspaper of general 
55 
circulation. 
56 
57 
Approved, 
2