Ano ang “Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program”?

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | January 7, 2026

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ako ay 30 taong gulang at kasalukuyang may hawak ng diploma sa high school.  Ako ay isang chef sa loob ng walong taon sa isang Japanese restaurant sa Lungsod ng Bacoor, Cavite. Plano kong mag-apply para sa mas mataas na posisyon sa chain ng mga restaurants ng aming kumpanya; subalit, ang susunod na antas ng posisyon ay nangangailangan ng bachelor’s degree sa kaugnay na larangan.  Ano kayang puwede kong gawin para makapag-apply sa nasabing posisyon? – Ismael

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Dear Ismael,

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay matatagpuan sa Republic Act No. 12124 (R. A. No. 12124) o ang “Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act,” na pinirmahan upang maging batas noong ika-3 ng Marso 2025.

Ayon sa Seksyon 4 ng R. A. No. 12124:

Section 4 of the said law provides that,

“SEC. 4. The Expanded Tertiary Education, Equivalency and Accreditation Program. - The Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program, hereinafter referred to as the ETEEAP, is hereby institutionalized as a comprehensive alternative learning program of the government for tertiary education based on academic equivalency, accreditation, validation, and recognition of prior learning or the knowledge and expertise derived from relevant work experiences and from formal, non-formal. and informal training that harness the student’s full potential.  As an integral part of the tertiary education system, it shall allow the undergraduate degree for high school graduates, senior high school graduates, post-secondary technical-vocational graduates, and college undergraduates, including working professionals who were unable to finish or advance into college, or have earned a bachelor’s degree and wish to obtain a special graduate degree program without going through the traditional schooling methods.

The ETEEAP shall be used to identify, assess, validate, and assign equivalent undergraduate level and special graduate programs of prior learning from formal, non-formal and informal learning systems, relevant work experiences, and completion of competency enrichment and other program requirements for the grant of appropriate academic degrees to qualified individuals.”

Batid din ng Seksyon 5 ng nasabing batas na:

“SEC. 5. Qualifications. - Filipino citizens, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, may apply for equivalency and accreditation if they satisfy the following requirements:

(a) Not less than 23 years of age at the time of application;

(b) Completion of a secondary school program as evidenced by a high school diploma, or a result of the Philippine Educational Placement Test or Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency Assessment and Certification stating that the individual concerned is qualified to enter college; and

(c) At least five years of aggregate work experience in the industry related to the academic degree program or discipline where equivalency of learning is sought: Provided, That the applicant may submit documentation of relevant training programs and other proof of formal, non-formal, and informal learning. as may be required by the deputized HEI including National Certificates or Certificates of Competency issued by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).”

Batay sa mga nabanggit, ang isang propesyonal na katulad mo ay maaaring makapagtapos ng kolehiyo nang hindi kinakailangang dumaan sa tradisyonal na pamamaraan ng pag-aaral.  Sa pagsusuri ng mga rekisito na itinakda ng batas, ikaw ay kuwalipikado para sa isang chef-related bachelor’s degree na kinakailangan sa iyong aplikasyon para sa promosyon, sapagkat ikaw ay 30 taong gulang, may hawak ng high school diploma, at nagtatrabaho bilang chef sa loob ng hindi bababa sa walong taon.

Dagdag pa rito, ang Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ang pangunahing ahensya na nangangasiwa sa pagpapatupad ng Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) alinsunod sa Seksyon 6 nito. Upang makapagsimula sa pagkuha ng iyong kaukulang bachelor’s degree sa ilalim ng ETEEAP, maaari kang mag-apply sa mga kinatawan o deputized Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) na akreditado ng CHED na matatagpuan sa ched.gov.ph (opisyal na website ng CHED) o sa eteeap.org (opisyal na website ng ETEEAP).

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang iyong mga katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala na ang opinyon na ito ay nakabase sa mga naisalaysay sa iyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang aming opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormasyon na ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kang sasangguni sa isang abogado.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.