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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, ERIC G. YAP, 
EDVIC G. YAP, and JEFFREY SORIANO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the 
unemployment rate in the country jumped to 8.9% in September 2021, which is 
equivalent to 4.25 million jobless Filipinos. As the economy continues to reopen with 
the decline of the recorded COVID-19 cases, employment figures are also expected to 
improve in the coming months. In preparation of the country's economic rebound, 
implementation of the programs in support of the unemployed becomes crucial.  
Prior to employment, job applicants are required by prospective employers to submit 
copies of certain certifications and clearances to verify their identity and track record, 
among others. Unfortunately, for individuals with low to no income, these 
requirements serve as iniquitous challenges as acquiring these certifications and 
clearance comes with a cost. 
This bill seeks to provide pre-employment assistance to indigents by implementing a 
scheme for charging of required certifications and clearances by mandating the free 
issuances of such pre-employment certifications and clearances at the first instance 
and granting a 20% discount on fees thereafter from government agencies. By 
providing this charging scheme for the processing of these requirements, herein 
proponents fervently hope that the financial burden of our indigent kababayans 
seeking employment will further be alleviated.  
August 3, 2022
8:40 am
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In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.  
 
 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE  
 
 
 
ERIC G. YAP 
 
 
 
 
        EDVIC G. YAP 
 
   
           JEFFREY SORIANO 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, ERIC G. YAP, 
EDVIC G. YAP, and JEFFREY SORIANO 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING 
PRE-EMPLOYMENT 
ASSISTANCE 
TO 
INDIGENTS 
BY 
IMPLEMENTING A SCHEME FOR CHARGING AND GRANTING DISCOUNT 
ON FEES IN SECURING PRE-EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATIONS AND 
CLEARANCES FROM 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 “Indigents Pre-
Employment Assistance Act.” 
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State 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, promote full employment, a rising standard of living and improved quality 
of life for all. Towards this end, the State shall provide a charging scheme and grant 
indigent job applicants a discount on fees when they secure pre-employment 
certificates and clearances from government agencies. 
SEC 3. Indigent Pre-employment Assistance. An indigent job applicant shall 
not be charged for any processing or application fee for pre-employment certificates 
and clearances from government agencies needed as a requirement for the purpose of 
applying for employment, whether domestically or abroad. After the initial free 
issuance of pre-employment certifications and clearance, thereafter, the indigent job 
applicant shall be entitled to a twenty percent (20%) discount on fees charged by 
government agencies in processing the pre-employment certifications and clearances. 
These shall include but shall not be limited to the following documents, which shall 
be strictly issued solely for employment purposes only: 
a. Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides;
b. Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);
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c. Clearance from the Regional Philippine National Police (PNP) offices or 
units;  
 
d. Medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital 
licensed by the Department of Health (DOH), and medical certificate for foreign 
employment from any DOH-accredited medical facility for overseas workers and 
seafarers;  
 
e. Certificate of marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); and  
 
f. Certificate of live birth of the indigent job applicant and one (1) dependent 
from the PSA.  
 
The free issuance and corresponding discount thereafter may be availed of by 
only one indigent job applicant and one dependent per household, to be counted 
every calendar year from each government agency.  
 
SEC 4. Identification of Beneficiaries. For purposes of this Act, an indigent job 
applicant refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and has no visible 
means of income or whose income is insufficient to the subsistence of the applicant’s 
family, as identified and certified by the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD) based on the criteria set under the National Household 
Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).  
 
SEC 5. Penalties. 
 
a. A public officer or employee, including the head of the government agency, 
who refuses or fails to provide the benefits granted to the indigent job 
applicant in violation of this Act shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of 
not less than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year, or a fine of not 
less than Ten Thousand Pesos (PhP 10,000.00) but not more than Fifty 
Thousand Pesos (PhP 50,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court;  
 
b. A job applicant or a dependent who misrepresents the status or falsifies any 
document to avail of benefits provided under this Act or abuses the 
assistance granted herein shall be punished with imprisonment of not less 
than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year, or a fine of not less than 
Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 5,000.00) but not more than Ten Thousand Pesos 
(PhP 10,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court; 
 
c. Prosecution of a public officer or employee under this Act is without 
prejudice to any liability under other existing laws, civil service rules or 
regulations.  
 
SEC 6. Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee. – An inter-
agency coordinating and monitoring committee, herein after 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: 


 
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a. Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) as 
chairperson;  
 
b. Secretary of Labor and Employment as vice chairperson;  
 
c. Secretary of Social Welfare and Development or authorized representative;  
 
d. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government or authorized 
representative;  
 
e. Secretary of Justice or authorized representative;  
 
f. Chief of the PNP or authorized representative; 
 
g. Secretary of Health or authorized representative; and the  
 
h. National Statistician and Civil Registrar-General of the PSA or authorized 
representative,  
 
The Committee shall submit an annual report to Congress on the 
implementation of this Act.  
 
SEC 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Lead Convenor of NAPC, in consultation and coordination 
with the Secretaries of DOLE, DOH, DILG, DOJ, and DSWD, the National Statistician 
and Civil Registrar-General of the PSA, and the Chief of PNP shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.  
 
SEC 7. Separability Clause. If any provision or part of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full 
force and effect.  
 
SEC 8. 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.  
 
SEC 9. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,