Senator JV Ejercito on the Public Order Committee hearing on Jan. 21, 2026 – Photo courtesy of JV Ejercito/Facebook.
Senator JV Ejercito has filed a bill seeking to provide Php 5,000 in one-time financial assistance to fresh graduates as they enter the job market.
The proposed “Fresh Graduates P5,000 One-Time Cash Grant Act of 2026” has been referred to the Senate committees on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and Finance for consideration.
Ejercito said the measure aims to ease the transition from school to employment by offering direct financial support to graduates of tertiary and training institutions.
He noted that many new graduates face immediate expenses while looking for work, including transportation to interviews, printing of application documents, and securing proper attire.
These added costs, he said, place pressure on young job seekers, especially as thousands are expected to join the workforce during the current graduation season.
Citing data from the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) 2025 Labor Force Survey, as referenced by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Ejercito said unemployment among college graduates increased by 2.6 percent from the December 2024 rate of 35.6 percent.
He added that beyond limited job openings, a mismatch between available jobs and graduates’ skills continues to make employment more difficult to secure.
While the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act already waives certain fees, the senator said the proposed grant would provide more immediate relief, with beneficiaries required to present proof of graduation such as a diploma or certification.