Catap-Lacson: PRRD's graduation gift

GOOD news for fresh grads and first-time job seekers! After Republic Act No. 11261 or the “First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act” was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, first-time job seekers will no longer have to pay for the government documents needed for employment.

The said law sees the need to “promote full employment and quality of gainful work and opportunities, to expand the accessibility to government services and to provide incentives to promote a first-time jobseeker’s access to employment.” These benefits, also considered as graduation gift according to Senate Committee on Labor chair Joel Villanueva, can only be availed once.

I remember the time when I was a fresh graduate and had to secure the various documents such as Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN), NBI Clearance, SSS, and the like. These are the requirements to be submitted to apply for a job, hence, we are all compelled to get these papers. As a jobless individual, I had to ask my parents for money for the processing of these documents, not to mention the transportation and food expenses when securing these in different locations.

The documents that can be availed for free by first-time jobseekers include police clearance certificate, National Bureau of Investigation clearance, barangay clearance, medical certificate from a public hospital, birth certificate, marriage certificate, transcript of academic records issued by state colleges and universities, tax identification number, unified multi-purpose ID and other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers.

To secure these documents for free, a fresh graduate or first-time jobseeker needs to bring a barangay certification stating that he or she is indeed covered by the said Act.

However, the following exceptions to RA 11261 include the government fees for applications to take professional licensure examinations conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission, application fees for Philippine passport authentication and application for a Career Service Examination with the Civil Service Commission, and application fees for a driver's license.

RA 11261 not only seeks to support fresh grads and first-time jobseekers, it also decreases the possibility of acquiring the services of fixers in the government agencies. The enactment of this law also ensures that these people in dire need of employment will not be barred from applying for decent jobs which require the submission of such documents. RA 11261 is indeed pro-employment and pro-people!

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