20% discount on clearance fees for jobseekers sought
A measure seeking to grant indigent job applicants a 20-percent discount on fees for pre-employment clearances and other documents is gaining support from other members of the House of Representatives.
Approved on second reading, House Bill 808 or the Kabalikat sa Hanapbuhay Act, mandates that the fees be waived.
Committee on Poverty Alleviation chair 1PACMAN Rep. Mikee Romero endorsed the measure and said it would “ease the financial burden on our poor countrymen who are seeking employment here and abroad.”
“They could save hundreds or even thousands of pesos in securing several clearances, certificates and other documents from government agencies – money they could use to buy food items like rice for their families,” he said.
Romero, principal sponsor of the bill, said he hopes the Senate would support the bill “for the sake of thousands, even millions, of poor job applicants.”
He also urged concerned agencies to make it easier for jobseekers to obtain the required documents.
Under Bill No. 8008, the 20-percent fee discount would apply on clearances from the barangay, National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police; medical certificate from any government hospital, marriage certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), birth certificate from PSA, certificate of competency from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, civil service eligibility certificate from the Civil Service Commission, and other documents required from government agencies.
Fees shall be waived on Tax Identification Number from the Bureau of Internal Revenue; and transcript of records, transfer credentials, authenticated copy of diploma, and certificate of good moral character from the state or local university or college of the jobseeker.
To qualify for the fee discount and waiver, a job applicant must obtain a certificate of indigency from the Department of Social Welfare and Development or the local social welfare office.
A public officer or employee who fails to issue such certificate or provide the document fee discount or waiver would face a temporary ban from public office for five years, in addition to a fine of P5,000 to P20,000.
The bill creates an inter-agency committee composed of officials of agencies issuing pre-employment clearances and certificates to monitor the grant of the proposed discounted and waived fees.
