INFORMATION SHEET 3

The Philippine Qualification Framework

Learning Objectives
After reading this information sheet, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the importance of the Philippine Qualification Framework
2. Identify the objectives of the PQF

Introduction
The Philippine Qualifications Framework - It is a collaborative program by the
Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Professional Regulation Commission
(PRC) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

            

The Philippine Qualifications Framework and the Philippine Education and Training
System

The Philippine Qualifications Framework was established in 2012 through

Executive Order No. 83.  While its governance is stipulated in the Ladderized Education Act
of 2014, the passage of the PQF Act in January 2018 provided the legal support for its full
implementation. 

The PQF aims to:

• benefit various sectors and stakeholders of education and training by
encouraging lifelong learning of individuals;
• providing employers specific training standards and qualifications that are
aligned to industry standards;
• ensuring that training and educational institutions adhere to specific standards
and are accountable for achieving the same;
• and providing the government with common standards, taxonomy, and typology
of qualifications as bases for granting approvals to stakeholders.
 Its specific objectives are as follows:
 to adopt national standards and levels of learning outcomes of education; 
 to support the development and maintenance of pathways and equivalencies that
enable access to qualifications and to assist individuals to move easily and readily
between the different education and training sectors and between these sectors and
the labor market; and 
 to align domestic qualification standards with the international qualifications
framework thereby enhancing recognition of the value and comparability of
Philippine qualifications and supporting the mobility of Filipino students and workers.

The PQF is a quality assured national system for the development, recognition and
award of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skills and values acquired in
different ways and methods by learners and workers educated/trained in the Philippines.
It describes the levels of educational qualifications and sets the standards for qualification
outcomes. As defined in RA 10968, qualification refers to a formal certification that a
person has successfully achieved specific learning outcomes relevant to the identified
academic, industry or community requirements. A qualification confers official recognition
of value in the world of education and training, work and job creation.  
The PQF has eight (8)
Levels of qualifications
differentiated by descriptors
of expected learning
outcomes along three
domains: knowledge, skills
and values; application; and
degree of independence. It
has sub-frameworks
corresponding to the
subsystems of the education
and training system. For
example, the TVET
subsystem covers National
Certificates (NC) I through IV corresponding to the first four levels while the Commission
on Higher Education Subsystem covers Baccalaureate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters, and
Doctorate that correspond to Levels VI to VIII. The two Sub-systems interfaces in the
provision of qualifications at level V .
 Mapping of Qualifications Against the PQF Levels

A mapping of the qualifications in the tertiary level educational subsectors against

the PQF levels is shown below:

Educational
Qualifications PQF Level PQF Level Descriptors
Subsector
Tertiary      
Technical  Knowledge and skills that
Vocational are manual or concrete or
Education practical and/or operational
and Training in focus.
 
 Applied in activities that are
set in a limited range of
highly familiar and
predictable contexts;
National
I involve straightforward,
Certificate (NC) I
routine issues which are
addressed by following set
rules, guidelines or
procedures. In conditions
where there is very close
support, guidance or
supervision; minimum
judgment or discretion is
needed.
National II  Knowledge and skills that
Certificate (NC) are manual or concrete or
II practical and/or operational
in focus.
 
  Applied in activities that are
set in a limited range of
highly familiar and
predictable contexts;
involve straightforward,
routine issues which are
addressed by following set
rules, guidelines or
procedures. In conditions
where there is very close
support, guidance or
supervision; minimum
 judgment or discretion is
needed.
 Knowledge and skills that
are manual or concrete or
practical and/ or operational
in focus.
 
 Applied in activities that are
set in a range of familiar
and predictable contexts;
National involve routine issues which
Certificate (NC) III are identified and
III addressed by selecting from
and following a number of
set rules, guidelines or
procedures. In conditions
where there is substantial
support, guidance or
supervision; limited
judgment or discretion is
needed.
National IV  Knowledge and skills that
Certificate (NC) are a balance of theoretical
IV and/or technical and
practical.
 
 Work involves
understanding the work
process, contributing to
problem solving, and
making decisions to
determine the process,
equipment and materials to
be used. • Applied in
activities that are set in
contexts with some
unfamiliar or unpredictable
aspects; involve routine and
non-routine issues which
are identified and
addressed by interpreting
and/or applying established
guidelines or procedures
with some variations.
 
  Application at this level may
involve individual
responsibility or autonomy,
and/ or may involve some
responsibility for others.
Participation in teams
including team or group
coordination may be
involved.
 Knowledge and skills that
are mainly theoretical
and/or abstract with
significant depth in one or
more areas; contributing to
technical solutions of a non-
routine or contingency
nature; evaluation and
analysis of current practices
and development of new
criteria and procedures.
 
National
 Applied in activities that are
Certificate (NC) V
set in a range of contexts,
V
most of which involve a
number of unfamiliar and/ or
unpredictable aspects;
involve largely non-routine
issues which are addressed
using guidelines or
procedures that require
interpretation and/or
adaptation Work involves
some leadership and
guidance when organizing
activities of self and others.
Higher Education Associate V  Knowledge and skills that
Degree are Mainly theoretical
and/or abstract with
significant depth in some
areas together with wide-
ranging, specialized
technical, creative and
conceptual skills.
 
 Perform work activities
 demonstrating breadth,
depth and complexity in the
planning and initiation of
alternative approaches to
skills and knowledge
applications across a broad
range of technical and/or
management requirements,
evaluation and coordination
 
 Applied in activities that are
supervisory, complex and
non-routine which require
an extensive interpretation
and/or adaptation/
innovation.
 
 In conditions where there is
broad guidance and
direction, where judgment is
required in planning and
selecting appropriate
equipment, services and
techniques for self and
others. Undertake work
involving participation in the
development of strategic
initiatives, as well as
personal responsibility and
autonomy in performing
complex technical
operations or organizing
others.
Baccalaureate VI  Demonstrated broad and
Degree coherent knowledge and
skills in their field of study
for professional work and
lifelong learning
 
 Application in
professional/creative work
or research in a specialized
field of discipline and/or
further study • Substantial
degree of independence
and or/in teams of related
 fields with minimal
supervision
 Demonstrated advanced
knowledge and skills in a
specialized or multi-
disciplinary field of study for
professional practice, self-
directed research and/or
lifelong learning • Applied in
professional/creative work
or research that requires
Post-
self-direction and/or
baccalaureate 4 VII
leadership in a specialized
Degree
or multi-disciplinary
professional work/research
 
 High substantial degree of
independence that involves
exercise of leadership and
initiative individual work or
in teams of multi-
disciplinary field
Doctoral and VIII  Demonstrated highly
Post-doctoral advanced systematic
-Degree knowledge and skills in
highly specialized and/or
complex multi-disciplinary
field of learning for complex
research and or
professional practice and/or
for the advancement of
learning
 
 Applied for professional
leadership for innovation,
research and/or
development management
in highly specialized or
multi-disciplinary field • Full
independence in individual
work and/or in teams of
multi-disciplinary and more
complex setting that
demands leadership for
research and creativity for
 strategic value added.
Significant level of
expertise-based autonomy
and accountability

Benefits of the Philippine Qualification Framework

FOR THE PERSON FOR THE EMPLOYERS FOR THE FOR THE
EDUCATION & AUTHORITIES
1. Encourages 1. Assures that TRAINING
lifelong learning standards and PROVIDERS 1. Provides the
allowing the qualifications are standards,
person to consistent to job 1. Ensures taxonomy and
start at the level requirements/demand transparency in typology of
that suits him and 2. Provides common training qualifications as
then build-up understanding on provision, bases for
his qualifications as standards, conformance to granting
his needs and qualifications and standards and approvals to
interests develop levels preciseness of providers and
and change over accountability for stakeholders
time learning 2. Harmonizes
2. Certificates and outcomes qualifications in
licenses recognized 2. Provides E & T across
by government common Philippines
understanding of
policies and
guidelines on
credit transfers,
articulation,
portability,
bridges pathways
and RPL
 SELF-CHECK 3

Discussion
In your own words briefly explain the following questions and write your answer in the space
provided below.

1. What do you think is the contribution of the PQF to our present educational system?
Explain
2. Using a Venn Diagram, differentiate Philippine Qualification Framework and the
Philippine Education Training System.
3. The Philippine Qualification Framework aims to benefit various sectors and stakeholders
of education and training by encouraging lifelong learning of individuals; providing
employers specific training standards and qualifications that are aligned to industry
standards; ensuring that training and educational institutions adhere to specific
standards and are accountable for achieving the same; and providing the government with
common standards…As a future teacher how can you help the students in attaining the PQF
objectives/aim? What will you do? What teaching methodology will you employ?

Scoring Criteria
Content 5
Originality 2
Organization 2
Grammar 1
Total 10
 Task Sheet

Instruction: create a term paper about the topics on the box below.

Education is a function of society. Considering the positive and negative elements of

21st century society:
• state the educational goals that 21st century schools should pursue;
• describe the ideal 21st century graduate; and
• describe the 21st education delivery mode.

Scoring Criteria
Content 20
Originality 5
Organization 5
Total 30
Let’s Reflect:
Answer the following:

I learned that

I realized that

I was not aware that

References:

Competency-based Learning Materials. Plan Training Session. National TVET Training

Academy. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. 2012

Competency-based Learning Materials. Conduct Competency Assessment. National TVET

Training Academy. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. 2012

https://pqf.gov.ph/
https://pqf.gov.ph/Home/Details/16
https://unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/docs/CS_Philippines_Public_awareness.
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