THE National Government launched the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
This program offers Filipinos a path to academic degrees based on competencies gained through work experience, non-formal training, and informal education.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. led the IRR launch at the President's Hall in Malacañang.
Marcos stated that signing the IRR reaffirms a crucial principle: experience is as valuable as formal education.
“Because after all, we all understand learning is not confined to the classroom. Often, the most important lessons are learned in the workplace, on shop floors, helping run a family business,” he said.
“Each experience in life carries a lesson—which we consider the toughest and most honest teacher,” he added.
The ETEEAP, institutionalized through Republic Act (RA) No. 12124, allows qualified individuals to receive academic credits and complete degrees without traditional classroom instruction.
Under the law, applicants must be Filipino citizens, at least 23 years old, and high school graduates with a minimum of five years of work experience related to their desired degree. The program includes enrichment support to help learners meet the academic and professional standards of their chosen degree.
“Marami tayong mga kababayan na hindi nakapagtapos ng kolehiyo dahil kinailangan nilang magtrabaho—para sa pamilya; para magpaaral ng kanilang mga kapatid; para tumayong padre o madre de pamilya. Ngunit hindi nawala ang kanilang talino, ang kanilang diskarte, at determinasyon. Kaya naman, sa ilalim ng ETEEAP Act, maaari po nilang gamitin ang kanilang mga karanasan upang makamit ang kanilang diploma,” said Marcos.
(Many of our countrymen could not finish college because they needed to work—for their families; to send their siblings to school; to be a father or mother to their families. But they did not lose their intelligence, their resourcefulness, and determination. That is why, under the ETEEAP Act, they can use their experiences to achieve their diploma.)
"Through this Act, we now have a clear and structured way to recognize the prior learning of individuals—be it from years of work or because they have taught themselves these skills—and match that with an academic equivalency," he added.
Competency assessment occurs through written tests, interviews, skills demonstrations, and portfolio reviews. Deputized Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with strict eligibility standards conduct these assessments.
For their ETEEAP offerings, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) must be at least Level II and hold Certificates of Program Compliance.
Local universities and colleges must meet equivalent institutional standards, and private institutions must have autonomous or deregulated status.
The measure also allows the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to deputize additional institutions or establish regional centers in areas with limited program access. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)