THE COMMITTEE on Higher and Technical Education at the House of Representatives on Monday approved the measure that seeks to institutionalize the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program.

The panel headed by Baguio City Rep. Mark Go approved House Bill 5728 authored by TINGOG Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre.

Acidre said the ETEEAP was introduced in 1996 by virtue of Executive Order 330.

“The ETEEAP is an education assessment scheme, which recognizes knowledge, skills, and prior learning obtained by an individual from non-formal and informal training and relevant work experiences,” he said.

Through the program, an individual may be granted a diploma for a degree after a competency-based evaluation from an established assessment system employing written tests, interviews, skills demonstration, portfolio, and other creative assessment methodologies administered by designated assessors or faculty experts.

“There is a need to provide individuals with proven competence access to opportunities that will increase their prospects for inclusion in the labor market, prepare them for higher value jobs required for achieving global competitiveness, advancing the strategic concerns of the government, and promoting sustainable development,” Acidre said.