Senator Jinggoy Estrada has filed a bill that would grant indigent job applicants a 20 percent discount in the payment of fees and charges for certain government-issued pre-employment documents.

“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 (For our poor countrymen who strive to provide for themselves and their families, the cost for documentary requirements is a heavy burden)," Estrada said in justifying the filing of Senate Bill (SB) No. 47.

The bill is also known as the proposed Indigent Job Applicants Discount Act.

Estrada’s SB No. 47 seeks to provide indigent job applicants who are trying to secure employment here and abroad a 20 percent discount in the payment of fees and charges for certain certificates and clearances issued by government agencies.

The measure cover 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); and medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital licensed by the Department of Health (DOH).

Also covered are certificates 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), and other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers from indigent job applicants.

Qualified beneficiaries are those identified and certified by the PSA to be living below the official poverty threshold based on the criteria set in the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), and members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) 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.

“He who has less in life should have more in law. This Magsaysay credo is my guidepost in this bill. Ang gobyerno ay dapat laging isaalang-alang ang kapakanan ng masang Pilipino (Government should always in mind the welfare of the Filipino masses),” Estrada said.