A new Senate measure would lift the cost of professional licensure tests for low-income Filipinos who qualify, removing a financial hurdle that its author says keeps many graduates from ever practicing the careers they trained for.
Senate Bill No. 2035, the “Free Professional Examinations Act,” would waive examination fees for certified indigent applicants across three categories of tests: licensure examinations administered by the Professional Regulation Commission, Civil Service eligibility examinations, and the Bar examinations.
To qualify, an applicant would need certification as an indigent from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. That document would then have to be submitted to the relevant body—the Professional Regulation Commission, the Civil Service Commission, or the Supreme Court—depending on the examination being taken. The bill caps the waiver at one use per year per applicant.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who filed the bill, framed it as a way to widen access to licensed professions for Filipinos who cannot afford the entry costs. He pointed to graduates who never recover the value of their education because the exam itself is out of reach.
“It is a reality for many Filipinos to finish school but never obtain the license they worked hard for because of a lack of funds,” Tulfo said Sunday. “Instead of paying licensure examination fees, they often start working—frequently in jobs for which they are overqualified—just to make ends meet.”
The senator also noted the financial strain students carry even before reaching the licensure stage. “Many of our young students even take on side hustles just to get through graduation; let us help them fully realize their dream of becoming licensed professionals,” he said.
