Davao City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte is pushing HB 9859, which seeks to exempt indigents from paying the application fee for the board exam.
The bill, which has been delivered to the Senate where it is still being studied, is the final version of the original bill to make the licensure or professional exam fee free for poor graduates.
The bill has been consolidated with other similar bills and passed the third final reading.
The final version emphasized that only the indigent or the poor would be exempted from paying the application fee for taking the board exam.
Duterte said whenever a board exam is conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the application fee is usually P450 to P1,300. The Civil Service Commission (CSC) examination for Career Service Professional and Sub-professional Levels is at P500.
“Ito ang mga aplikanteng mapapatunayang walang kita o anumang suportang pinansiyal na nakukuha, o kaya naman ay kahit may kita, ito ay hindi sapat para sa pang-araw araw na gastos ng kanilang pamilya,” Duterte said.
Under the bill, this benefit can only be used once per year.
Duterte said once HB 9859 is enacted, there will be no obstacle to the dream of many young Filipinos to become professionals.
The lawmaker also mentioned that under the administration of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, tuition fees have been waived in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).
“Pero hindi diyan nagtatapos ang pagbuo ng pangarap ng mga naghahangad na maging propesyonal sa napili nilang larangan. Alam naman nating hindi mura ang babayaran kapag kukuha ng professional o licensure examination para maging isang ganap na abogado, doktor, inhinyero o iba pang propesyonal na trabaho,” Duterte said.
