Six Years, One Dream: Ruben Nalundasan's ETEEAP Journey to a College Degree at MMSU

Some stories about ETEEAP read like a checklist of requirements and deadlines. Others read like a love letter. This one happens to be both.

Ruben G. Nalundasan, a Science Aide by profession, just walked the graduation stage as a member of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Class of 2026, holding a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, major in Electrical Technology. He earned it through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program, the same pathway we talk about often on this site because it genuinely changes lives.

But what makes Ruben’s story worth sharing isn’t just the diploma. It’s everything that came with it. The six years of balancing work and study. The children who refused to let their father give up. And a quiet tribute to a mother who never got to see this day, but whose blessing seemed to carry her son all the way to the finish line.

Here’s a quick look at what we’ll cover in this story:

A Promise to Inay

In a Facebook post shared by Ruben’s wife, the family dedicated this milestone to Ruben’s late mother, fondly called Inay. She had passed on, but her presence was felt throughout the celebration. Ruben’s wife recalled the very first words Inay said to her when she welcomed her into the family.

“Thank you, anakko, for loving my barok.” Simple words, but they carried so much warmth and acceptance that they stayed in her heart for years.

It’s the kind of detail that reminds us ETEEAP graduations aren’t really about paperwork or panel assessments, even though those matter a lot in the process. They’re about families. About the people who believed in someone long before a certificate said it was official. Ruben’s wife wrote that Inay continues to watch over the family from above, and that she could only imagine how proud she would be today.

Six Years in the Making

Six years. That’s how long this journey took. Six years of juggling work as a Science Aide, family responsibilities, and the academic requirements of ETEEAP. Anyone who has tried to study while holding down a full time job knows exactly how heavy that combination can be.

There were moments of doubt along the way. There was exhaustion too, the kind that piles up after a long shift followed by hours of coursework. But according to the family’s post, Ruben’s children never stopped encouraging their dad to pursue this dream. They kept reminding him that it was never too late to finish what he had started.

That’s a message we hear often from ETEEAP graduates, and it never gets old. A degree earned later in life through hard won experience carries a weight that a traditional diploma sometimes doesn’t. It’s proof, as the family put it, that dreams have no expiration date and that learning never stops.

If you’re curious about how this kind of journey typically unfolds, from application to graduation, our guide on turning years of work experience into a college degree through ETEEAP breaks down the general process step by step.

Why MMSU and ETEEAP Made This Possible

Ruben completed his degree through MMSU, one of the Commission on Higher Education’s deputized institutions for ETEEAP. For working professionals in Ilocos Norte and nearby provinces, MMSU has long been a recognizable name when it comes to alternative pathways toward a college degree.

The family’s gratitude in their post went specifically to CHED for establishing the ETEEAP pathway in the first place, and to MMSU for offering degree programs under the program and giving adult learners a second chance to finish their education while still fulfilling their roles as employees, parents, and providers.

That’s really the heart of what ETEEAP, now strengthened under Republic Act No. 12124, is designed to do. It recognizes that someone working as a Science Aide for years has already built up real, demonstrable competencies in fields like electrical technology. Instead of asking that person to start from zero in a lecture hall, the program assesses what they already know through portfolios, interviews, written exams, and practical demonstrations, then maps those competencies against the requirements of a degree program.

If you want to know whether you might qualify for a similar path, our eligibility page lays out the basic requirements, including the minimum age, educational background, and years of work experience needed to apply. And if MMSU isn’t your nearest option, you can browse our directory of CHED-deputized schools to find one closer to home or one that specializes in your field.

A Lesson for Every Filipino Who Thinks It’s Too Late

What struck us most about this story is a line from Ruben’s wife near the end of her post. She wrote that her husband’s journey reminds everyone that success isn’t measured by how quickly you arrive at your destination, but by the courage to keep moving forward despite every obstacle along the way.

That’s a sentiment we’ve seen echoed in other ETEEAP stories too, from public servants to private sector workers and even well known personalities who went back to finish their degrees later in life. You can read more of these journeys in our success stories section, where graduates share what pushed them to start, and what it felt like to finally cross that stage.

Ruben’s family closed their post by congratulating the entire MMSU Class of 2026, wishing them courage, humility, and faith as they begin the next chapter. It’s a fitting message, not just for fellow graduates, but for anyone reading this who has been sitting on a half finished degree, wondering if it’s worth picking back up.

Start Your Own ETEEAP Journey

If Ruben’s story sounds a little too familiar, the unfinished degree, the years of work experience, the nagging feeling that it’s too late, take it as a sign rather than a coincidence. ETEEAP exists precisely for people in that situation.

Head over to our Get Started page to check if you qualify, then explore the list of accredited schools near you. Your six years might look different from Ruben’s, but the finish line is just as real. Congratulations again to Ruben G. Nalundasan and the entire MMSU Class of 2026.

Photo Credit: FB/Darlene Nalundasan