Foreign students’ population in Phl swelling

MANILA, Philippines – Bureau of Immigration (BI) Acting Commissioner Ronaldo Ledesma the other day said that there are 19,121 foreign students currently taking up college courses in the country, which is 768 higher than the previous school year.

Ledesma said that for school year 2010-2011 there were 19,121 foreigners who enrolled in different colleges and universities nationwide, compared to the 18,383 in school year 2009-2010. The data was taken from their Alien Certificates of Registration Identity-Cards (ACR I-Cards) that the BI has issued to holders of student visas and which remain valid.

“The fact that many foreigners are studying here means that the quality of our educational system is continuously improving. Our schools are competing with the best of their counterparts in Asia in attracting foreign enrollees,” Ledesma adds.

South Koreans topped the list with 6,000 followed by the Chinese with 3,395; the Iranian, 2,980; and Americans with 1,004.

The other nationalities studying in the country are Indonesians, Indians, Taiwanese, Kuwaitis, Nepalese, Thais, Sudanese, Vietnamese, Nigerians, Kenyans, Japanese, Pakistanis, Timorese, and from Myanmar.

According to the BI student desk section, the bulk of foreign students are studying in Metro Manila, with the biggest number of enrollees at the Centro Escolar University.

Other schools that have significant foreign student populations are the University of the East, Far Eastern University, Manila Central University, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University. –Evelyn Z. Macairan (The Philippine Star)