Press Release
February 2, 2023

Villanueva bats for free licensure exam fees for indigents

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva filed a bill which seeks to waive any Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) and Civil Service Commission (CSC) examination fees to encourage those who cannot afford to pay to take professional licensure exams.

Senate Bill No. 1323 or the "Free Professional Examinations Act", which Villanueva filed on September 2022, will lessen the financial burden on graduates who need to undergo professional licensure exams.

The Majority Leader said that Dexter Valenton's achievement as the first Aeta to pass the Criminology Board Exam should be celebrated.

"Dexter is not only an inspiration to the Aeta community but to every Filipino to never stop dreaming and achieving their goals," he said.

Under the proposed measure, a qualified indigent refers to "a person who has no visible means of income or support, or whose income is insufficient for the subsistence or basic needs of his/her family, as may be determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)."

According to the PRC, 633,551 examinees took the board exams in 2022 of which 311,381 are first time examinees.

Under the bill, first time applicants may be entitled to a 100% exemption of the examination fee and 50% of the examination fee if the examinee needs to retake the exam.

The prescribed fees for PRC examination ranges from ₱400 to ₱1,300 depending on the degree and type of examination. Meanwhile, the Career Service Examination for Professional and Sub-Professional Levels of the CSC requires an examination fee of ₱500. On top of examination fees, applicants also incur additional expenses on review fees and other related expenses prior to taking the licensure examination.

"It saddens me to think that some of our graduates will not be able to apply what they studied for just because they cannot afford to pay for the examination fee to get their professional license or civil service eligibility," he said.

The Majority Leader also stressed that while the country's unemployment rate is going on a downward trend, the high rate of underemployment is still a cause for concern.

As of November 2022, Unemployment rate is at 4.2% which is equivalent to 2.18 million Filipinos while underemployment is at 14.4% or 7.16 million Filipinos.

"We are determined to look for solutions in fighting unemployment woes in the country which is why we are pushing for measures such as this to help ensure that every Filipino will not only have a job but a quality job which fits their qualifications," the Majority leader said.

Villanueva is the principal author and sponsor of the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act which waives government fees for documents needed by first time jobseekers as a requirement for employment.


Villanueva: Licensure exam fees gawing libre sa mahihirap!

Naghain si Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva ng panukalang batas na naglalayong i-waive ang examination fee ng Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) at Civil Service Commission (CSC) para hikayatin ang mga hindi kayang magbayad na kumuha ng professional licensure exams.

Ang Senate Bill No. 1323 o ang "Free Professional Examinations Act", na inihain ni Villanueva noong Setyembre 2022, ay makakabawas sa pinansiyal na pasanin sa mga nagtapos na kailangang sumailalim sa mga professional licensure exams.

Sinabi ng Majority Leader na dapat ipagdiwang ang tagumpay ni Dexter Valenton bilang unang Aeta na nakapasa sa Criminology Board Exam.

"Si Dexter ay hindi lamang isang inspirasyon sa Aeta community maging sa bawat Pilipino na huwag tumigil sa pangangarap at pagkamit ng kanilang mga layunin," sabi niya.

Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, ang isang kwalipikadong indigent ay "isang tao na wala o hindi sapat ang kita para sa mapunan ang pangunahing pangangailangan ng kanyang pamilya, na maaaring matukoy ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)."

Ayon sa PRC, 633,551 examinees ang kumuha ng board exams noong 2022 kung saan 311,381 ang first time examinees.

Ayon sa panukalang batas, ang mga first time applicant ay maaaring makakuha ng 100% exemption sa examination fee at 50% ng examination fee kung kailangan muling kumuha ng exams

Nagkakahalaga ang examination fee ng PRC mula P400 hanggang P 1,300 depende sa uri ng examination na kukunin. Samantala, P 500.00 naman ang bayad sa pagkuha ng ang Career Service Examination para sa Professional at Sub-Professional levels ng CSC. Bukod sa examination fees, may iba pang gastusin na kailangang sagutin ng mga examinees bago kumuha ng mga examination.

"Nalulungkot akong isipin na ang ilan sa ating mga graduates ay hindi magagamit ang kanilang pinag-aralan dahil lamang sa hindi nila kayang bayaran ang examination fee para makuha ang kanilang professional license o civil service eligibility," aniya.

Binigyang-diin din ng Majority Leader na habang bumababa ang unemployment rate ng bansa, ang mataas na rate ng underemployment ay isa pa ring dahilan para alalahanin.

Noong Nobyembre 2022, ang Unemployment rate ay nasa 4.2% na katumbas ng 2.18 milyong Pilipino habang ang underemployment ay nasa 14.4% o 7.16 milyong Pilipino.

"Desidido tayong maghanap ng mga solusyon ang problema ng unemployment sa bansa kaya naman isinusulong natin ang mga ganitong batas upang makatulong na matiyak na ang bawat Pilipino ay hindi lamang magkakaroon ng trabaho kundi isang de-kalidad na trabaho na akma sa kanilang mga kwalipikasyon," sinabi ng Majority Leader.

Si Villanueva ang pangunahing may-akda at sponsor ng First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act upang gawing libre ang mga pagkuha ng dokumentong kailangan ng mga first time jobseekers na kinakailangan para sa employment.

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