University of Baguio Joins 16 New ETEEAP Providers for 2026

The list of schools where working Filipinos can turn their job experience into a college degree just got longer. The University of Baguio (UB) has been officially recognized as one of sixteen (16) newly approved Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) authorized to implement the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).

The announcement was made during the 32nd CHED Anniversary Strategic Partnership Convergence, held on June 10, 2026 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. With this recognition, UB becomes one of only two universities in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) authorized to offer ETEEAP, opening a new pathway for working professionals in Northern Luzon who want to earn a recognized degree without leaving their jobs.

In This Article

A Milestone for the University of Baguio

For the University of Baguio, this recognition is more than a line item on an institutional report. It is a formal acknowledgment that the school has the systems, faculty, and assessment processes needed to evaluate and credit the real-world expertise of working adults toward a college degree.

Representing UB at the awarding ceremony were Linkages Office Director Ms. Melanie Rulla Saro and ETEEAP staff member Ms. Jera Cachapero, who accepted the recognition on behalf of UB President Dr. Javier D. Herminio Bautista and the university’s management team. The ceremony was attended by CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, along with national diplomats, government leaders, Senator Loren Legarda, Congressman Jude Acidre (Chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education), CHED Commissioners, and CHED officials from across the country.

According to the university, the recognition reflects sustained effort across several areas evaluated by CHED, including institutional readiness, academic delivery systems, student support mechanisms, industry relevance, faculty qualifications, assessment methodologies, and a demonstrated commitment to learner-centered education.

How UB Earned Its ETEEAP Status

This kind of recognition does not happen overnight. The quality assurance process behind UB’s ETEEAP deputization was carried out by the CHED Technical Panel together with the CHED-CAR Regional Quality Assurance Team across 2024 and 2025.

This evaluation period mirrors the broader process described in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 12124, where CHED Regional Offices conduct evaluation visits to validate an institution’s readiness, infrastructure, and academic delivery mechanisms before recommending it for deputization. For UB, this meant demonstrating that it had the right pieces in place: a dedicated ETEEAP office, a pool of qualified internal and external assessors, structured assessment tools, and a clear path for candidates who need competency enrichment before graduation.

University leadership credited the achievement to the collective work of the ETEEAP Committee, made up of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), deans, directors, faculty mentors, assessors, coordinators, and administrative staff. The university also linked the milestone to its broader commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those tied to quality education and inclusive economic growth.

ETEEAP itself is not a new concept. The program traces its roots to Executive Order No. 330, issued in 1996 following recommendations from the First Philippine Employment Summit. For nearly three decades, ETEEAP operated under that executive order alone.

That changed with the passage of Republic Act No. 12124, which institutionalized ETEEAP as a permanent program of the Philippine education system rather than a policy that could be revised or withdrawn through executive action alone. Under this law, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is mandated to deputize qualified HEIs, set the standards for assessment, and monitor how deputized schools implement the program.

Through ETEEAP, deputized institutions like UB can now formally assess and validate the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values (KSAVs) that candidates have built through years of non-formal, informal, and work-based learning. A Panel of Assessors made up of internal experts from the institution and external practitioners from the industry reviews each candidate’s portfolio, conducts interviews, and may require demonstrations of skills before awarding equivalency credits or a degree.

If you want to understand how this assessment process generally works across deputized schools, our guide on the ETEEAP journey from work experience to a college degree breaks down each stage candidates typically go through.

What This Means for Aspiring ETEEAP Candidates in CAR

For professionals based in Baguio, Benguet, and the rest of the Cordillera region, UB’s new status as a deputized ETEEAP provider is significant simply because of geography. Many candidates from the region previously had to travel to Metro Manila or other regions to find a school offering the program in their field.

With UB now authorized, qualified applicants in CAR have another local option to explore, alongside the one other university in the region that already holds ETEEAP provider status. As with any deputized school, the specific degree programs offered, the assessment schedule, and the fees will depend on UB’s own ETEEAP office, so candidates are encouraged to reach out directly to the university for these details once its program offerings are formally rolled out.

In the meantime, candidates can prepare by reviewing the general qualifications required under the program. According to the basic eligibility framework, applicants must generally be Filipino citizens, at least 23 years old, hold a high school diploma or its equivalent (such as a PEPT or ALS certification), and have at least five years of work experience related to the degree program they are applying for.

You can check whether you meet these basic requirements through our eligibility checker, which walks you through the core criteria before you approach any deputized school.

Next Steps If You Want to Apply

If you are a working professional in Northern Luzon who has been putting off finishing your degree because of distance, schedule, or simply not knowing where to start, this development is worth paying attention to. While UB finalizes its program rollout, there are a few things you can do now to get ahead:

  1. Review your documents. Gather your resume, certificates of employment, training certificates, and any TESDA National Certificates or Certificates of Competency related to your field. These form the backbone of your portfolio assessment.
  2. Identify the degree program that fits your experience. Our guide on choosing the right ETEEAP program for your career can help you match your work background to a relevant degree.
  3. Understand the costs involved. ETEEAP fees vary by institution and program. Our ETEEAP cost breakdown gives you a realistic picture of what to expect.
  4. Watch our news section for updates. As more details about UB’s ETEEAP program become available, including specific degrees offered and application schedules, we will share them through our news and updates page.

UB’s recognition is one more sign that the door to a college degree through work experience is opening wider across the Philippines, not just in Metro Manila but in regions that have long been underserved. If you have spent years building expertise on the job, this might finally be the year to turn that experience into a diploma.

Start by checking your eligibility today through our Get Started page, and explore our growing directory of accredited schools to find the provider that best fits your goals.

Photo credit: University of Baguio