How Manny Pacquiao got a PolSci diploma, ‘the most meaningful of his achievements’

Eight-division world boxing champion Senator Manny Pacquiao is also a two-term congressman who's now in the middle of his first term as senator.

Pacquiao, however, said that he considered his recent graduation from the University of Makati with a degree in political science as the "most meaningful among his achievements."

"I will always remember the key lessons that I learned and the insights that I gained from all of you!" Pacquiao said.

"Among my achievements, this will be the most meaningful," he added.

How did the senator who also trains for and fights in world title bouts find time to take up political science in traffic-congested Makati City?

Pacquiao said he was thankful for the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) of the Philippine Councilors League-Legislative Academy (PCCLA) "which gives chance to qualified Filipinos to attain College degree/diploma- Filipinos who wish to complete college through informal education."

The program was in partnership with the UMak's College of Continuing, Advanced and Professional Studies, the Development Academy of the Philippines, and the Philippine Society for Public Administration.

The Commission on Higher Education said the ETEEAP was "a comprehensive educational assessment program at the tertiary level that recognizes, accredits and gives equivalencies to knowledge, skills, attitudes and values gained by individuals from relevant work."

"It is implemented through deputized higher education institutions that shall award the appropriate college degree," the CHED said.

It said beneficiaries must be Filipinos who are at least high school graduates.

They must have worked for at least five years in the field or industry related to the academic program they are obtaining an equivalency. 

Pacquiao is on his ninth year in Congress. He was first elected as representative of Saranggani in 2010 and won his reelection bid in 2013. 

He is now in the middle of his six-year term in the Senate after being elected senator in 2016.

Pacquiao years back earned his high school diploma also by passing an accreditation and equivalency test of the Department of Education. He was even asked to be an ambassador for the DepEd's Alternative Learning System in 2007.

He started taking up business administration at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in 2008. —NB, GMA News