Awareness of DOrSU Cateel Campus Criminology Students on the Implementation of  RA 11131

This article examines the level of awareness of Republic Act No. 11131 also known as the Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018, specifically Articles III and IV, among criminology students at Davao Oriental State University – Cateel Campus, focusing on provisions related to licensure, regulation, and professional practice. A quantitative descriptive research design was used, with a random sampling approach, and 262 respondents participated. A researcher-made questionnaire was administered, with its validity and reliability ensured through pilot testing. The majority of respondents were between 17 and 21 years old, with more females than males, and most were in their third and fourth years. The overall level of awareness of RA 11131 was very high with a mean score of 4.21, particularly in areas such as Licensure Examination Requirements, Certification and Professional Identification, Authorized Practice of Criminology, and Professional Responsibilities and Obligations. Awareness of Penalties and Legal Implications was also high with a means score of 4.09. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in awareness based on age and sex, indicating equal exposure across these demographics. However, significant differences were found based on year level in the areas of Certification and Professional Identification, Penalties and Legal Implications, and Overall Awareness. Upper-year students exhibited greater awareness, suggesting that legal knowledge increases as students advance. This highlights the need for earlier integration of certification and penalties into the curriculum to ensure consistent awareness across all year levels.