Over 1M Pinoys to benefit from First Time Jobseekers Act: DOLE

The signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the RA 11261, which was headed by DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III together with other heads of agencies such as the Department of Finance, Department of Health, among others, in Manila. (PNA Photo)

MANILA — More than a million first-time jobseekers are expected to benefit every year from the newly-approved First Time Jobseekers Act, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Thursday.

According to DOLE Assistant Secretary Joji Aragon, the law also known as Republic Act 11261 “is a social legislation that provides a level playing field and tangible support for first-time jobseekers, regardless of age, to hurdle the common constraint of high cost of fees required in the job application process by both government and private sectors”.

“The law stands to benefit around 1.3 million first time job seekers annually, which comes to around PHP2,400 in aggregate free government, clearances including National Bureau of Investigation, birth certificates, transcript of records from government schools ad trading facilities,” she said after the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the RA 11261, which was headed by DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III together with other heads of agencies such as the Department of Finance, Department of Health, among others, in Manila.

“While this translates to PHP3 billion foregone government revenues, the government looks at this investment to bring double or triple fold return in achieving a productive human capital and workforce for the nation,” Aragon added.

She added that under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, “the government invests on the youth, the out-of-school youth and other first-time job seekers by providing free government-issued documents and clearances for a better chance at landing a job for them.”

The DOLE explained that IRR main features the responsibilities of the village officials and other heads of the government agencies in the implementation of the law.

“The IRR highlights the role of every barangay in the issuance of barangay certification for first-time job seekers, the Department of Communications and Technology (DICT) for the provision of technology information and database, the DOLE to head the Interagency Monitoring Committee and all other agencies in a one-country-team approached, to report to one another in the implementation and enforcement of this Act,” Aragon said.

With this, Bello noted that qualified as “first-time” jobseekers are fresh graduates, out-of-school youths, and others that can secure barangay certification that they are applying for jobs for the first time.

“Regardless of their age, young or old, as long as they are first-time jobseekers. They just need to secure barangay certification from their barangays and they can already avail the benefits,” he said in an interview.

Last May, Duterte signed RA 11261, which waives government fees and charges on documents needed by first-time jobseekers for their employment.

The documents include police and barangay clearance, medical certificates from government clinics and hospitals, NBI certificate, birth and/or marriage certificates, tax identification number (TIN), transcript of records from State Universities and Colleges, and Unified Multi-Purpose ID card, among other government papers that may be required by employers.