Never too late

While a college diploma may be, to some, merely a piece of parchment, it is still the dream of most Filipino parents to give their child an education, preferable – hopefully – a college education. Article XIV of our Constitution mandates the state to “protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and take appropriate steps to make education accessible to all.”

Education is a right, and it is a right to “quality education.” But for many, education – especially higher education – is still an option, a dream to strive for.

Admittedly, a college diploma is not a guarantee for success or, as recent studies have shown, even for a good job (there is now such a thing as skills mismatch). There are those who, by choice or force of circumstance (very often lack of financial capability), skip the college education and head straight into the workforce, set up a business or start off on a career. I recall a friend who went to college because he wanted to play basketball, and when an injury made that no longer possible, he quit school and went on to set up a successful agri venture in Mindanao.

For many, a college degree is still a life-long dream, no matter what successes one may have achieved without it. But if you’re holding down a job (or even two) or running a business, how do you manage schooling? That’s where ETEEAP comes in.

ETEEAP – we do like our acronyms, don’t we? – stands for Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program; in plainspeak, it allows one’s work experience and training to be credited towards a college degree. It is an acknowledgement that the classroom is not the only place for learning, and puts value on the knowledge and skills gained outside, in the real world.

This idea has actually been around since 1996; Republic Act 12124 signed on March 3, 2025 institutionalized it into ETEEAP. Overseen by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), there are over a hundred colleges and universities all over the country participating in ETEEAP, offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in various fields, including education, engineering, business administration, information systems and more.

CHED recently took a significant step forward with the launch of a platform reaching out to OFWs. In collaboration with De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (CSB), the ETEEAP National Registration and Onboarding for Lifelong Learning Overseas Filipino Workers or ENROLL OFWs (I told you we love our acronyms!) was launched at the recent “ETEEAP Sa Bagong Pilipinas Forum.” That allows OFWs to register, be assessed and processed for the program from wherever in the world they may be. Currently, there are over 1,400 OFWs enrolled in ETEEAP; the ENROLL OFWs portal should enable many more to take advantage of the program.

I checked in with CSB, which has been offering ETEEAP since 2004, with degree programs in Hospitality and Luxury Management (what used to be hotel and restaurant management), Information Systems, Production Design, Music Production and Performing Arts. While the first two programs are, not surprisingly, the most popular, CSB puts focus on “emerging and specialized fields aligned with current industry demands,” as it has been doing with its regular degree programs (such as New Media Arts, Deaf Education, Environment & Design, Intellectual Property Management).

This school year, there are 74 enrolees in the various CSB ETEEAP programs, 18 of them OFWs. To date, 14 OFWs have completed their degrees, among the 65 graduates the college has produced. Among these graduates is Anthony de Leon, general manager of Baguio Country Club and president of the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Baguio. After getting his BS in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (HRIM), he went on to complete his AFP general staff course and got commissioned into the Philippine Navy Reserve Force.

Though he did not have managerial experience but armed with his BS-HRIM and units towards a master’s degree, Junefel Ramos applied for and got a job as the beverage manager of a luxury river cruise line and is now part-time faculty at CSB.

About 20 who are completing the ETEEAP are expected to join graduation exercises in July, including actor/singer Xian Lim, who is getting a BA in Music Production.

ETEEAP graduates, if they are in town, join commencement exercises along with other graduates, since participating in the ceremonies is a significant part of their education experience. In October 2024, two special graduates marched together to get their diplomas – father Diosdado Babar, who worked in a hotel in the UK, got his BS-HRIM through ETEEAP, while daughter Felisha got her BA in Diplomacy and International Affairs, cum laude, on campus. They helped each other with assignments and projects, encouraged each other through exams and celebrated good grades across time zones via video calls and group chats.

“Marching together symbolized not just our academic attainment but the culmination of our shared perseverance and dedication,” Diosdado said.

Felisha added, “There’s a special pride in seeing your family thrive in the same community.”

For sure, there’s a lot that needs improving in our education system, as the EDCOM2, PISA and other studies have shown. From basic infrastructure (classrooms) to school facilities (textbooks, laboratories, computers, internet connection) to teacher training and welfare (just wages, for a start), the list of must-do’s is certainly long. While the charter of CHED is reportedly under review to bring the agency up to speed to meet current demands, ETEEAP and ENROLL OFWs are programs that should be not just continued but enhanced and made even more accessible.

As we celebrate Labor day on Friday, making the pathway to education accessible to our workers here in the country and anywhere in the world is a gift we can give them, tied with a ribbon around a sheet of parchment.