BASAHIN: Pirmado na ni Pangulong Duterte ang batas na layong gawing libre para sa fresh graduates ang gastusin sa pagkuha ng mga dokumento sa gobyerno para sa kanilang paga-apply sa trabaho | via @joycebalancio pic.twitter.com/bRk5lRDlpO — DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) May 7, 2019

MANILA (UPDATE) -- President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law that will waive fees from various government agencies for first time jobseekers.

Republic Act 11261 or the “First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act” was signed into law by the President on April 10.

Under the new measure, government agencies are barred from collecting fees or charges from a first-time job seeker provided that the fee is in connection with the application of certificates or documents that are usually required in seeking employment. The said benefit may only be availed once.

Application for the following documents will be free of charge under the new law:

1. Police clearance certificate

2. National Bureau of Investigation clearance

3. Barangay clearance

4. Medical certificate from a public hospital

5. Birth certificate

6. Marriage certificate

7. Transcript of academic records issued by state colleges and universities

8. Tax Identification Number (TIN)

9. Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card

10. Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers for job applicants

Rates for these documents vary, from P100 to P400 each.

First time jobseekers availing of the benefits under the new law are required to present a barangay certification that he or she is seeking employment for the first time.

The exemption however does not cover fees collected in connection to an application to take a professional licensure examination, application for a Philippine passport, authentication of documents from the Department of Foreign Affairs, application for a Career Service Examination, and application for a driver’s license.

Report from Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News