The Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), led by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, has filed the “Ginhawa sa Paghahanap ng Trabaho Act,” a measure aimed at making job hunting easier and more accessible for applicants, particularly first-time jobseekers and young Filipinos who often spend days lining up for clearances, photocopying documents, and repeatedly submitting the same requirements for every application.

House Bill (HB) No. 8192 forms part of the party’s GINHAWA KIT (Kuryente–Internet–Trabaho) legislative package, which seeks to deliver everyday relief by addressing electricity costs, internet access, and employment opportunities.

“This is an important and integral reform that Lakas-CMD is pushing because jobseekers deserve a process that respects their time, protects their documents, saves resources, and helps them get hired faster. Part ito ng GINHAWA KIT package we envision to deliver real relief to the underprivileged and underserved, so the first step into work becomes simpler, safer, and more dignified for Filipino families,” said Romualdez, Lakas-CMD president.

The party also filed HB 8191, which seeks to grant qualified minimum wage earner households a uniform 50 percent discount on applicable electricity charges for their principal residence, while providing automatic lifeline enrollment for marginalized and vulnerable consumers.

Deputy Speaker David “Jayjay” Suarez of Quezon and Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun of Zambales filed the measure on behalf of the Lakas-CMD.

Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP), said the bill modernizes the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act “by recognizing that the burden on applicants is no longer just about fees and charges, but also about fragmented, repetitive documentary demands that can pile up even before any job offer is made, especially for first-time jobseekers.”

In practical terms, Romualdez said “it limits early requirements to a basic, reasonable set, stops employers from making applicants surrender original civil registry documents, reduces redundant clearances through a ‘no multiple clearance’ rule, and introduces consent-based QR verification through eGovPH so applicants do not have to keep submitting the same documents to every employer.”

At the application stage, Suarez, treasurer of Lakas-CMD, said the proposal limits government-issued documentary requirements to a standard set that employers may require for screening, focusing on identification through the Philippine National ID, a clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) when reasonably required by the nature of the position, and competency credentials through certified true copies of school records or equivalent proof of educational attainment.

“The bill also targets abusive and unsafe handling of documents by prohibiting employers from requiring applicants to submit, surrender, deposit, or leave behind original civil registry documents such as birth or marriage certificates as a condition for screening or interviews,” Suarez said.

Khonghun said the proposal also adopts a “No Multiple Clearance Rule,” where an employer that requires an NBI clearance at the application stage “will no longer be allowed to demand an additional police clearance or similar local clearance for the same security screening purpose unless a specific law or regulation requires it for the position.”

To make compliance visible and prevent surprise requirements that applicants only discover mid-process, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said the bill “requires employers to disclose in job postings or application forms the standard application documentary requirements and the key prohibitions under the measure, including the rule against demanding original civil registry documents.”