Published — June 1, 2022
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Also, the matters contained in the following were written in accordance with the law, rules, and jurisprudence prevailing at the time of writing and posting, and do not include any future developments on the subject matter under discussion.
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Due to the endless streak of issues of unemployment in the Philippines and in recognition of the Government of its important role in giving opportunities of employment to all, Republic Act No. 11261 (RA 11261) or the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act was enacted. This is also in line with the mandate of the Philippine Constitution which states that the State affirms labor as a primary social economic force (Read here). This mandate can be further realized through enactment of laws which prefer the use of Filipino Labor, adoption of measures that help make them competitive (Read here) and promotion of equality of employment opportunities to all (Read here) by giving easier access to such opportunities.
Covered Persons
The assistance provided under RA 11261 are granted only to those who seek job employment for the first time. However, such assistance or benefits may only be availed of once (Sec. 3 of RA 11261). In availing of the benefits, the first-time jobseekers shall present a barangay certification stating that the applicant is a first-time jobseeker (Sec. 5 of RA 11261).
Exemption to Fees and Charges to First Time Jobseekers
The First Time Jobseekers Act generally provides exemption to fees and charges to applications for and in relation to granting of license, proofs of identification, clearances, certificates or other documents usually required in the course of employment locally or abroad. The mentioned fees and charges are those imposed by government agencies and instrumentalities, including government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), local government units (LGUs) and government hospitals (Sec 3 of RA 11261).
Specifically, under Section 4 of RA 11261, no fees and other charges shall be collected from first time jobseekers when obtaining the following:
- Police Clearance certificate;
- National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance;
- Barangay Clearance;
- Medical Certificate from public hospital. However, the fees and charges for laboratory tests and other medical procedures required for the grant of a medical certificate shall not be free of charge;
- Birth Certificate;
- Marriage Certificate;
- Transcript of academic records issued by state colleges and universities;
- Tax Identification Number (TIN);
- Unified Multi-Purpose of ID (UMID) card and
- Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers from job applicants
A feasible descriptive summary of pre-employment requirements and its costs and the amount that a first-time jobseeker will approximately save by virtue of the benefits provided under RA 11261 is provided below:
| Common Requirements for Employment | Fee | |
| 1 | Police Clearance Certificate | Php 100.00 |
| 2 | NBI Clearance | Php 130.00 – Php 155.00 |
| 3 | Barangay Clearance | Php 0.00 – Php 100.00 |
| 4 | Medical Certificate | Php 30.00 – Php 250.00 |
| 5 | Birth Certificate | Php 155.00 – Php 365.00 |
| 6 | Transcript of Academic Records | Php 100.00 – Php 450.00 |
| 7 | TIN | N/A |
| 8 | UMID | N/A |
| Approximate Amount Saved by First-time Jobseeker: | Php 540.00 ~ Php 1,395.00 | |
Government Assistance
One of the essential features of RA 11261 is the organization of a one stop shop assistance for covered jobseekers. Thus, aside from benefits of exemption to fees and charges, RA 11261 also tasked Public Employment Service or PESO of different provinces, cities, and municipalities to assist first time jobseekers in securing required pre-employment documents from relevant government agencies (Sec. 7 or RA 11261). The utilization of PESO prevents setbacks and increases productivity of first-time jobseekers as it will help them systemize or manage their time in the completion of their requirements for employment.
Limitations and Exceptions (Sec. 9 of RA 11261)
The exemptions to fees and charges shall not apply to the following:
- Application to take a professional licensure examination conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission;
- Application for a Philippine passport;
- Authentication and red ribbon of documents from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA);
- Application for a Career Service Examination with the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and
- Application for a driver’s license from the Land Transportation Office.
Moreover, the beneficiaries of the Jobstart Program Act and other laws which give similar exemptions to fees or charges to documents or transactions shall not also be qualified to avail of the benefits of RA 11261 (Sec. 8 of RA 11261).
Other Advantages to First-Time Jobseekers
In furtherance of the intention of the State to provide easier access to equal employment opportunities to all, RA 11261 also provides that in all cases, any ambiguity in the interpretation of the provisions of the said law, shall be resolved in favor of the applicant (Sec. 10 of RA 11261).
OTHER SOURCES:
- FilipiKnow Official Website, https://filipiknow.net/police-clearance/, Posted March 23, 2019, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
- NBI Official Website, https://www.nbiclearance.org/how-to-apply-nbi-clearance-online-2019/#nbi-clearance-fee-payment, Posted January 01, 2019, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
- Power Pinoys Official Website, https://powerpinoys.com/barangay-clearance-certificate-philippines-requirements/, Posted February 10, 2016, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
- Philippine General Hospital Official Website, http://www.pgh.gov.ph/static/media/uploads/documents/transparency/citizencharternew/medrecordmedcert.pdf, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
- PhilPad Official Website, https://philpad.com/how-to-get-psa-birth-certificate-requirements-and-procedures/ and Philippine Statistics Office Official Website, https://nsohelpline.ph/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoIrY3Y-d4gIVSKmWCh1soQ-YEAAYASAAEgJSJfD_BwE, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
- University of the Philippines Official Website, http://our.upd.edu.ph/faqtor.php, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
- Polytechnic University of the Philippines, https://www.pup.edu.ph/alumni/torlocal, Last Accessed: May 15, 2019
Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices specializes in business law and labor law consulting. For inquiries, you may reach us at info@alburolaw.com, or dial us at (02)7745-4391/0917-5772207.
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Very INFORMATIVE, I appreciate LAWYERS with mission of educating fellow citizens of their rights, God bless
I want to to thank you for this great read!! I absolutely loved every bit of it. I have got you book marked to look at new things you post…
great points altogether, you just gained a brand new reader. What would you recommend about your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?
When is this law applicable how come now adays job seekers still pay all this requirements and offices does not ask if they are first time job seekers