Duterte signs law waiving fees for first-time jobseekers

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law that would exempt first-time jobseekers from paying fees for government-issued documents.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11261 or the First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act on April 10.

Covered by the law are government-issued documents such as police clearance certificate, National Bureau of Investigation clearance, barangay clearance, medical certificate from a public hospital, birth and marriage certificates, tax identification number, transcript of academic records issued by state universities and colleges, Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card, and other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers from job applicants.

Under the law, a proof of being a first-time jobseeker in the form of a barangay clearance is required to avail of the exemption or waiver from payment of fees.

The exemption shall only be availed of once.

Senator Joel Villanueva, the principal author of the measure, thanked the President and fellow lawmakers for the passage of the law. 

Villanueva earlier said job applicants pay as much as P2,000 for employment requirements including government-issued documents. —KG, GMA News