Most high school graduates choose to work rather than to complete a college degree. Their goals are to support the family in household expenses, save money, or gain experience. Whatever reasons they may have, will be considered as their own will and decision.
A guard told Dabawenyo Influencer about her real-life story. She underwent a pre-licensing training course and has 7 years of work experience as a lady guard assigned to multiple job posting locations in Davao Region for the past years under her long-time superior agency.
Does she need to choose a 4-year degree course?
What should she need to have a faster degree completion?
This is what ETEEAP was established on May 10, 1996, signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos under Executive Order Number 330. The Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP), where anyone with at least 5 years of work experience can earn a degree in just 1 year without attending traditional classes.
It was institutionalized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and signed into law under Republic Act No. 12124, signed on March 3, 2025, by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The aligned course for a lady guard is Bachelor of Science in Criminology. Unfortunately, there were no schools within Davao City that offered this course under the ETEEAP program.
On January 5, 2026, I, as a staff member of Dabawenyo influencer, went to Holy Trinity College in Daproza Avenue, General Santos City, to investigate and inquire about the course, as they have announced and posted on their Facebook page and website that they are offering BS Criminology for qualified students.
I approach the guard at the entrance and look for a logbook where I log my name, purpose of visit, address, time of entry, and signature. I went to the 2nd floor and talked to the ETEEAP staff of the school. Here are her statements regarding my concern:
She explained that the application for the said course is by region. It means that for as long as you are currently working within Region 12, regardless of whether you are a resident or not, you can apply and submit requirements to their office for assessment and evaluation. Meanwhile, residents or non-residents of Region 11 can only apply to a deputized state university or college, as long as they are currently working within Davao Region. The University of Mindanao Tagum campus offers BS Criminology under ETEEAP.
But there was an exemption that needed to follow. If ever the said course is unavailable from UM Tagum campus this school year 2026-2027, resident or non-resident currently working in Davao City can still be considered to submit the required documents for assessment, evaluation, and approval of HTC Gensan together with CHED.
The assessment and evaluation usually take a few months. After approval, the enrolled students under ETEEAP need not worry, since there is a scholarship program intended for ETEEAP students. She highly suggested that you must be working in General Santos City because class sessions are usually done through blended learning, such as synchronous with a face-to-face session once a week. While asynchronous learning is done online utilizing digital tools, self-paced learning. You should avoid being late for the face-to-face session.
The exact duration for a course to complete usually takes from 1 to 2 years, or it is determined by the College's evaluation of your submitted credentials, especially the length of service or work experience, and subjects from the last school attended that require credit.
Criminology involves subjects such as dactyloscopy (fingerprinting), firefighting, and crime investigation techniques that often require face-to-face demonstration. It is largely a blended program, not 100% online.
The ETEEAP program for BS CRIMINOLOGY is also available in Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges, Inc., located on Pioneer Avenue within the city, which is also a part of the SOCCSKSARGEN Region. Unfortunately, I don't have time to visit their school on that day since I need to ride a non-stop bus going back to Davao City.
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