This paper examines the country’s lifelong learning landscape, driven by the goal of social justice and adapting to global job trends. It finds the system over-focused on formal education, resulting in gaps for re- and up-skilling, informal learning, and special needs. Comparing the Philippine educational structure and ISCED mapping with Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, and Finland, the study advocates for strengthening equivalence mechanisms across formal, non-formal, and informal learning, proposing tools like a learner’s ID and stackable micro-credentials. The paper highlights issues with the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) implementation, suggesting improved governance, operational guidelines, and explicit mapping of qualifications. Ultimately, it recommends comprehensively capturing nationwide education data and enhancing programs for diverse learners, possibly through localized governance bodies.
