For example, those doctors, nurses, seamen, teachers, domestic
helpers (and really just college graduates in general) who speak
English well have an edge on the rest and are able to work abroad,
thanks largely to their competency in English. They help make
Philippine migrant workers one of the largest migrant worker
groups in the world. Indeed, the more than 10 million Filipino
workers abroad have managed to prop up the Philippine economy by
sending some $16 billion back home to their families last year,
amounting to the fourth largest level of total remittances in the
world, and accounting for almost 12 percent of the country’s
entire GDP. Indeed, remittances from overseas workers have time
and again made it possible for the country to survive many crises,
and they will perhaps help it weather the current financial
crisis.
Call-center agents, Filipinos chatting on their headsets to inquiring English-speaking customers half a world away, were supposed to provide the answer to the Philippines’ economy. They could be drawn from the country’s famously large pool of English speakers to tap into the lucrative offshoring and outsourcing (O&O) market.
But employers in the industry say they now have to reject 95 of 100 job applicants because their English proficiency is inadequate. Since the economy depends on the ofw and the call centers for a major part of its spending power,,,,,its like the ostrich has stuck his head in the sand ignoring English is the economic driver of the the country!
A country where spoken English once ranked as an official language has seen its collective proficiency slide over the years, even as the economic importance of the english has grown. The decline stems in part from nationalist campaigns to promote Filipino and from inattention in schools, which the government is taking steps to undo.
Employers say it is increasingly difficult to find people with adequate English, and some O&O employers think the labor supply has dried up.
If students’ math and science scores are poor, their performance in English is even worse.
“If we do not supply the demand, then we will lose our business,” Garcia says. “We will always need the English language.”
Read the complete articles here at this link
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0510/For-Filipinos-English-proficiency-is-fading
http://english.safe-democracy.org/2009/01/21/the-philippines-still-grappling-with-english/
Call-center agents, Filipinos chatting on their headsets to inquiring English-speaking customers half a world away, were supposed to provide the answer to the Philippines’ economy. They could be drawn from the country’s famously large pool of English speakers to tap into the lucrative offshoring and outsourcing (O&O) market.
But employers in the industry say they now have to reject 95 of 100 job applicants because their English proficiency is inadequate. Since the economy depends on the ofw and the call centers for a major part of its spending power,,,,,its like the ostrich has stuck his head in the sand ignoring English is the economic driver of the the country!
A country where spoken English once ranked as an official language has seen its collective proficiency slide over the years, even as the economic importance of the english has grown. The decline stems in part from nationalist campaigns to promote Filipino and from inattention in schools, which the government is taking steps to undo.
Employers say it is increasingly difficult to find people with adequate English, and some O&O employers think the labor supply has dried up.
English once dominated
The shortage is ironic given that the Philippines once boasted, with some justification, of being the world’s third largest Anglophone country.If students’ math and science scores are poor, their performance in English is even worse.
“If we do not supply the demand, then we will lose our business,” Garcia says. “We will always need the English language.”
Read the complete articles here at this link
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0510/For-Filipinos-English-proficiency-is-fading
http://english.safe-democracy.org/2009/01/21/the-philippines-still-grappling-with-english/
3 comments:
English still dominates the elite and intellectual sectors of the country. It's just that ofws come from those sectors that need more attention and opportunities in terms of education. Emphasis should be given to activities that go beyond the confines of the school, like reading and watching movies in English. Filipinos need self-motivation to practice and improve their English.
Roly Manansala
Fil-Crew Maritime & Offshore Services, Inc., with POEA License No.: POEA-003-SB-022714-PL-MLC, is a highly integrated Philippine maritime services company and a market leader in providing highly qualified and experienced Filipino offshore and ship-based maritime and engineering personnel.
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