Give poor job seekers 20% discount in payment of gov’t docs — Jinggoy Estrada

FILIPINOS in search of jobs flock to job fairs like this sponsored by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Jinggoy Estrada has filed a bill that will give poor job applicants a 20 percent discount in the payment of fees and charges for government-issued pre-employment documents.

In a statement on Sunday, Estrada said he filed Senate Bill No. 47, or the “Indigent Job Applicants Discount Act,” to help indigent applicants gain decent employment.

“Para sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan na pinagsisikapan na itaguyod ang kanilang sarili o pamilya, mabigat sa bulsa ang mga bayarin sa mga dokumentong kailangan nilang isumite,” said Estrada.

(For our poor countrymen who are trying to support themselves or their families, the fees for the documents they need to submit are heavy on their pockets.)

“Ang kakarampot nilang gastusin sa pang-araw-araw ay nababawasan pa pagkuha ng mga clearances at certificates,” he added.

(Their meager daily expenses are further reduced by obtaining clearances and certificates.)

The bill seeks to provide indigent job applicants trying to secure employment both locally and abroad and a 20 percent discount in the payment of fees and charges for certain certificates and clearances issued by government agencies.

Among the clearances and documents the measure covers are the following:

• Clearances issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the
• Philippine National Police (PNP)
• Certificate of marriage and certificate of live birth from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
• Transcript of records and authenticated copy of diploma from state universities and colleges (SUCS)
• Medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital licensed by the Department of Health (DOH)
• Certificate of civil service eligibility from the Civil Service Commission (CSC)
• National certificate (NC) and certificate of competency (COC) issued by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
• As well as other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers from indigent job applicants.

Qualified beneficiaries, meanwhile, are identified as those certified by the PSA to be living below the official poverty threshold based on the criteria set in the Community-Based Monitoring System and members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program may avail of the discount once every six months.

Any misrepresentation or falsification of documents or abuses of the privileges by a job applicant will be subject to penalties under the Revised Penal Code and will also be meted with lifetime disqualification in availing of the said discount.

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