Constitutional and legal basis
- The President issues the order under Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution, which provides for Presidential control over executive departments, bureaus, and offices and a duty to ensure laws are faithfully executed.
- The order also rests on paragraph 2, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III, Book III of Executive Order No. 292, which grants the President continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President and to transfer any function under the Office of the President to any other Department.
- The administrative framework referenced includes Executive Order No. 358, which institutionalizes a ladderized interface between Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Higher Education (HE).
- The responsible agencies identified are the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Policy intent and coverage
- Higher education institutions recognized by CHED may opt to ladderize their recognized higher education programs without needing separate permits from CHED or TESDA.
- Ladderization is treated as falling within curricula matter and is allowed when tied to ladderized TVET–HE interfacing under Executive Order No. 358.
- The authority granted applies to higher education institutions whose programs have been granted Government Recognition by CHED.
- The order applies specifically to ladderized programs derived from already CHED-recognized programs.
Core substantive rule on ladderization
- A higher education institution with CHED-government recognition for its programs may opt to ladderize those recognized programs.
- Ladderization proceeds without need for permit from CHED or TESDA, as long as it remains within curricula matter.
- The ladderization must be aligned with model curricula issued by CHED and TESDA.
- The institution must base the ladderized program offerings on curricula that ensure minimum curricular requirements are observed.
Mandatory curriculum conditions and submissions
- CHED and TESDA must have issued a model curriculum for the program/s to be offered as ladderized programs.
- The higher education institution must submit a copy of the curriculum for each proposed ladderized program to CHED and TESDA.
- CHED and TESDA must ensure that the minimum curricular requirements are observed for the ladderized program/s based on the submitted curricula.
Effectivity and repealing clause
- The order takes effect immediately.
- All orders, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with Executive Order No. 694 are repealed or modified accordingly.