Senator Francis Escudero pressed for the passage of six education-related bills, including the institutionalization of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP), endorsed by the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education (CHTVE).
Escudero emphasized during his plenary sponsorship speech that the ETEEAP, proposed under Senate Bill 2568, seeks to create pathways for working professionals to earn degrees through non-traditional means, thereby breaking the “diploma wall” hindering their career advancement.
“For many college dropouts, whose skills are not receipted by a diploma, the absence of academic credentials can and does lead to opportunity losses,” said Escudero, chairperson of the CHTVE, in a news release published Wednesday.
“Often, their career advancement is blocked by a diploma wall, while those far less talented, whiz past them by flashing a diploma as a gate pass. And nowhere is this race fiercer than in the civil service, where the orthodoxy of degrees over skills reigns supreme,” the senator added.
The senator highlighted the plight of skilled workers whose talents are unrecognized due to the lack of academic credentials. He pointed out that this barrier particularly affects returning Filipino talents and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) attempting to reintegrate into the national economy.
SB 2568 aims to institutionalize the ETEEAP and allocate necessary funds for its implementation. The program validates knowledge and expertise acquired through relevant work experiences and high-level non-formal training, providing a pathway to a bachelor’s degree.
The bill designates the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the lead implementer of the program, assigning it powers and functions, such as choosing what academic programs shall be opened, and the certification process that applicants must go through.
“By granting them a pathway to earn a bachelor’s degree, this program contributes to a more inclusive and skilled workforce in the Philippines,” he stressed.
In addition to SB 2568, Escudero sponsored five other bills:
- SB 2569 – Creating a Tripartite Council to Address Unemployment, Underemployment, and Job-Skills Mismatch
- SB 2596 – Promoting Access to Quality Legal Education with Free Tuition in State Universities and Colleges
- SB 2597 – Strengthening the Legal Education Board
- SB 2598 – Strengthening Mental Health Services in State Universities and Colleges
- House Bill 7089 – Establishing a College of Medicine in the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines- Cagayan de Oro City Campus
Moreover, the Senate passed House Bill 7564 on second reading, enabling the incumbent President of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College to become the first President of the Mountain Province State University.