Senate bill waives fees for fresh grads

Senators want fresh graduates and first-time jobseekers exempted from paying fees collected by various government agencies for the issuance of documents needed for employment.

Under Senate Bill No. 1629 or the First-Time Jobseekers Assistance Act of 2017, government agencies will be prohibited from collecting fees or charges from first-time jobseekers.

Documents covered by the measure include police clearance certificate, the National Bureau of Investigation clearance, barangay clearance, medical certificate, birth and marriage certificates, tax identification number and the unified multipurpose ID card.

According to the bill, first-time jobseekers are new graduates from any college or university and accredited technical-vocational institutions, and high school graduates who have completed the K-12 program.

The privilege also covers early school leavers, college or technical-vocational students taking a leave of absence or those working part-time while enrolled in an academic institution.

The waiver does not include fees for professional licensure examination, Philippine passport and driver’s license.