Bill of Rights For New Graduates: Government to shoulder employment documents for new grads

After President Rodrigo Duterte signed the free tuition law (Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act) that took effect this 2018, a new bill is now steadily getting popularity as it seeks to “exempt” new graduates from all colleges and universities, and technical-vocational schools from fees paid for getting birth certificate, passport, tax identification number, and clearances from the barangay and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Senator Sonny Angara, the author of Bill of Rights for New Graduates, posted on his Facebook page a question about his bill surveying netizens if they agree with it or not. While the intention of the bill is good, not all netizens agree with the senator's proposal.

Facebook user  Wilanne Karen Ferguson commented "No offense sa new grads, pero dahil ba uso ang free ngayon kailangan pa sundan nito? The govt has already made passports valid for 10yrs, DLs valid for 5yrs, tuition fee free.. malaking kabawasan na sa income ng pamahalaan yan. We have to maintain sustainability para sa mga programang ito para malayo ang marating."

On the other hand, Charles Marquez and Mark Edison Ea Alviz both agreed that instead of making these documents free, the government should just invest in making the current processes of getting these employment papers faster.

Another user, Kevin-Milner De Vera, is on point when he said that these types of "measures that will punish us in the long run."

There are pros and cons in freebies, especially in the government. The purpose of the bill may really to genuinely help fresh graduates to find a job. However, the government should also think it over that this might not be suitable in the long run.

How about you, kuripot? Do you think this is a good bill?