The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday, April 16, announced it is set to enhance the K to 12 curriculum by aligning it with the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF), aiming to equip Filipino learners with competencies that meet both national and global standards.
“The PQF is a comprehensive system that sets transparent, unified standards across education, training, and employment,” said DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, who chaired a high-level meeting of the PQF-National Coordinating Council (PQF-NCC) earlier this week.
“By aligning competencies and skills with both local and global demands, the PQF shall empower Filipinos with the qualifications and mobility necessary to thrive in an increasingly evolving world,” he added.
DepEd said the meeting brought together the country’s trifocal education agencies—DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)—in an increasingly coordinated effort to align the education and labor sectors under the Marcos administration’s workforce development agenda.
This initiative seeks to harmonize basic, technical-vocational, and higher education into a unified framework of skills and competencies, ensuring that graduates are better prepared for employment, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning.
Trifocal education system
The meeting drew key officials including CHED Chairman J. Prospero De Vera III, TESDA Director General Kiko Benitez, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Carmela Torres, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Assistant Commissioner Louis Valera, and SEAMEO INNOTECH Centre Director Majah-Leah Ravago.
DepEd noted that the gathering underscored growing institutional support for reforms aimed at harmonizing learning outcomes, strengthening labor mobility, and aligning Philippine qualifications with international standards.
“What was once a seldom-seen level of collaboration is now becoming the standard,” Angara said. “Our trifocal education system is leading the way in building a structure that connects education more directly with employment,” he added.
Strategic priorities
During the meeting, Angara laid out three strategic priorities. Among these are the adoption of unified, sustainable national learning outcome standards across all education and training levels.
Another priority is the development of seamless pathways for learner and worker mobility across sectors and industries.
DepEd is also pushing for the alignment of Philippine qualifications with international frameworks to boost global recognition and competitiveness.
Angara emphasized the need to “integrate critical and strategic thinking,” as well as foster positive learning mindsets—qualities essential for lifelong learning and professional resilience.
DepEd said it will also begin integrating PQF-aligned competencies into the K to 12 curriculum, enhance teacher training to support competency-based learning, and collaborate with TESDA and CHED to streamline program offerings in line with labor market demands.
Engagement with industry stakeholders will also be intensified to ensure that reforms are grounded in real-world skills requirements, DepEd said.
The PQF-NCC will work to establish mechanisms for collaborative labor market analysis, curriculum alignment, industry engagement, regional information campaigns, and updating qualification standards.
Authorities emphasized that these measures are essential for creating more flexible, focused, and responsive education and training systems that can adapt to both local and global economic changes.
“We must build a system where every Filipino can transform learning into lasting opportunity—where skills open doors, and every qualification bears the strength of our nation’s ambition to drive inclusive and sustained growth,” Angara said.