HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RECEIVED

DATE: N MIR
Republic of the Philippines TIME: i te ™
House of Representatives | By: /

Quezon City, Metro Manila
| RE@ISTRATION UNIT

SEVENTEETH CONGRESS | BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE
First Regular Session rs

510

House Bill Number

Introduced by Representative ROLANDO G. ANDAYA, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is the State’s obligation to empower its citizens. With a binding social contract
to alleviate poverty, it is imperative that the State adopt policies that will improve the
general well being of its citizens, particularly those who are economically
disadvantaged. Increasing employment opportunities and labor productivity are
measures that will surely reduce the brunt of economic inequality on indigent Filipinos.

The sad truth, however, is that our country employment opportunities. And even
when prospects for employment are present, most Filipinos cannot afford to pay for fees
necessary to procure documentary requirements for their job application such as birth
and marriage certificates, barangay certificate, and NBI and police clearances, among
others.

The least that the government can do for indigent job applicants is to make it
easier for them to acquire pre-employment documents by way of discounts. Reducing
the processing fee of these documents will encourage them to look for jobs and give
them a better chance to becoming productive members of our society.

This bill aims to lessen the financial burden of indigent Filipino job applicants.
Let us give them opportunities to become self-reliant by approving this measure.

ROL, G. ANDAYA, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

510

House Bill Number

Introduced by Representative ROLANDO G. ANDAYA, JR.

AN ACT PROVIDING PRE-EMPLOYMENT PRIVILEGE TO INDIGENTS BY
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 Privilege 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 life for all
Towards this end, the State shall grant indigent job applicants a discount on fees when
they secure pre-employment certificates and clearances from government agencies.

SEC. 3. Indigent Pre-employment Privilege. — An indigent job applicant shall
be entitled to a twenty percent (20%) discount on fees charged by government agencies
in processing the following documents for employment purposes:

a. Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides;
b. Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);
¢. 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 Statistical Authority (PSA); and

f. Certificate of live birth of the indigent job applicant and one (1) dependent
from the PSA.

The discount may be availed of by only one indigent job applicant and one
dependent per household, once a 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 (P 10,000.00) but not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00),
or both, at the discretion of the court;

b) An officer or employee, including the head of a DOH-accredited medical
facility, 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
(P10,000.00) but not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00), or both, at the
discretion of the court;

©) A job applicant or a dependent who misrepresents status or falsifies any
document to avail of benefits provided under this Act or abuses the privilege 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 (P5,000.00) but not
more than Ten Thousand Pesos (P'10,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court;

d) 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:

a. Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) as
chairperson;

. Secretary of Labor and Employment as vice chairperson;
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development or authorized representative;

|. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government or authorized representative;

. Secretary of Justice or authorized representative;
Chief of the PNP or authorized representative;

. Secretary of Health or authorized representative; and the

. National Statistician and Civil Registrar-General of the PSA or authorized
representative, as members.

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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,