TUCP backs move to reinstate use of English in schools

Even workers weighed in on the need to improve English proficiency as the moderate Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday gave full support to ongoing efforts to reinstate English as the medium of instruction in all school levels.

“In order to stay competitive, it is absolutely imperative for us to reinforce the English skills of young Filipinos joining the labor force each year,” former senator and TUCP general secretary Ernesto Herrera said in a statement.

Herrera noted that even citizens of highly developed and technologically advanced countries such as South Korea are “passionately” studying English at this time.

“In fact, thousands of young Koreans visit the Philippines to get either formal or informal crash courses in English. This is why South Korea is now our biggest source of foreign tourists,” he pointed out.

Alex Aguilar, TUCP spokesman said labor unions are supporting the initiatives of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to restore English as the medium of instruction because it would improve the employability of workers here and abroad.

“Considering that English language is a customary requirement in almost all industries we would certainly support the DOLE’s move to reinstate English as the medium of instruction,” Aguilar said.

Herrera said there is a need to strengthen the Filipinos’ competency, particularly in English proficiency, if the country wants to capture a greater share of the labor market in the global business process outsourcing (BPO) industry — which brings many call center jobs to the Philippines.

The Philippines could easily outclass India, the world’s current labor top manpower provider for call centers, if there were improvements in English proficiency here, he said.

“Based on a survey by a global staffing firm and a market research firm, BPO providers prefer Filipinos as call center employees because of their superior work ethic and good language skills,” Herrera said.

Earlier, the DOLE urged school authorities to temporarily set aside nationalism and restore English as the country’s medium of instruction in order to generate more jobs for Filipinos. –Mayen Jaymalin, Philippine Star