The Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the current travel restrictions, have not prevented the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) to hold its online re-accreditation to the Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trades (PPSAT) from July 27-30, 2021.

PPSAT, located in the province of Palawan, Philippines, was previously accredited by APACC in 2011, 2013, and 2017 in which they received bronze, silver, and gold-level accreditation, respectively. It is one of the first technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in the Philippines to attain gold-level accreditation. For their fourth accreditation, they aim to renew or surpass their accreditation level despite doing the proceedings online. It is currently headed by the Vocational School Administrator, Dr. Sianita Tadlas.

The APACC team was composed of Dr. Godelyn Hisole, the president of the Iloilo State College of Fisheries and Lead Accreditor; Pn. Noaryanti Mohd Noor, Senior Assistant Director of Quality Assurance Unit, Governance and Excellence Division, Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education, Malaysia and Member Accreditor; and Mr. Rae Emmanuel Echaveria, Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) Research and Publication Officer and Documentation officer.

Members of the PPSAT Accreditation Team

Dr. Godelyn Hisole (lead accreditor)
Pn. Noaryanti Mohd Noor (member accreditor)
Mr. Rae Emmanuel Echaveria (documentation officer)

For four days, the team examined the evidence of quality compliance to the seven APACC criteria: (1) Governance and Management; (2) Teaching and Learning; (3) Human Resources; (4) Research and Development; (5) Image and Sustainability; (6) Other Resources, and (7) Support to Students. They were also able to go on a virtual tour of the institution in which the laboratories and classrooms were exhibited onscreen.