SENATOR Mark Villar filed a measure that seeks to institutionalize the expanded tertiary education equivalency and accreditation program to help working students earn a degree.

Under Senate Bill 1908 or the proposed Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program Act, work experience will be evaluated and converted to creditable educational units to reduce the number of subjects that a working professional has to earn to obtain a degree.

The senator said with the program, only the remaining courses or subjects that did not have any equivalent in the evaluation process will be enrolled and should be completed in the traditional way.

The bill seeks to strengthen the existing ETEEAP by laying down the criteria for basic qualifications to make the program more accesiblle to Filipinos who want to earn a degree while working.

The measure mandates the creation of a consultative body headed by the Commission on Higher Education to provide broad based inter-agency consultation to ascertain that the objective and reach of the program is met.

Villar said that living below the poverty line normally causes students to surrender their dream careers and immediately seek jobs to help their families.