Senator Erwin Tulfo has filed a measure seeking to exempt qualified indigent Filipinos from paying professional examination fees, saying financial hardship should not prevent graduates from obtaining professional licenses.
Under Senate Bill No. 2035, or the proposed “Free Professional Examinations Act,” qualified indigent applicants would no longer have to pay fees for Professional Regulation Commission board examinations, Civil Service eligibility examinations, and Bar examinations.
Tulfo said many Filipinos complete their education but fail to become licensed professionals because they cannot afford examination fees.
“Naging normal na para sa mga Pilipino na nakakapagtapos nga sa pag-aaral pero nauudlot na maging lisensyado kasi kulang sa pera,” Tulfo said.
[Translation: It has become common for Filipinos to finish their studies but fail to become licensed because they lack the money.]
The senator said some graduates choose to enter the workforce immediately, often accepting underemployment, instead of pursuing professional licenses because of financial constraints.
According to Tulfo, high examination costs not only affect individual career growth but also limit the development of a new generation of professionals in the country.
Under the proposal, the Department of Social Welfare and Development would determine who qualifies as indigent and issue certifications that applicants can present to the Professional Regulation Commission, Civil Service Commission, or the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
To prevent abuse, beneficiaries may avail of the exemption only once per year.
“Maraming sa mga kabataang estudyante ang sumasideline pa maitawid lang pag-graduate, tulungan naman natin sila na makumpleto yung pangarap nilang maging lisensyado,” Tulfo said.
[Translation: Many students take side jobs just to finish school. Let us help them fulfill their dream of becoming licensed professionals.]
