UMVA has learned that a groundbreaking bill now threatens to lift a crippling financial wall for thousands of Filipino graduates.
Senator Erwin T. Tulfo, championing the Free Professional Examinations Act, has called for an emergency waiver of licensure exam fees, a move that could rewrite the destiny of countless young professionals.
Imagine finishing years of study, only to watch the dream of a license dissolve into a pile of unpaid fees. Tulfo’s own words echo this sorrow: “Many finish school but never get the license they worked hard for because of lack of funds. Instead, they start working—often underemployed—to get by.”
Today’s licensure exams can cost from a modest P450 to a staggering P2,200. For those living paycheck to paycheck, even the smallest sum feels like a mountain.
Under the proposed act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will sift through the ranks of qualified indigents, identifying those who qualify for this unprecedented relief.
These identified individuals will then be forwarded to the Professional Regulation Commission, the Civil Service Commission, and even the Supreme Court, ensuring every level of government is aware of the need.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the bill’s architects believe removing the fee barrier will unleash a wave of talent, sparking a surge in professionals ready to drive the nation’s economic growth.
With this measure, the dream of a license—once a distant horizon—could become a tangible reality for those who have already paid the price of education.
