Reintroduction of Spanish in RP gets Spain's support

CEBU, Philippines - Some 21 Spanish-speaking countries, with Spain at the helm, having economic activities worth US$4 trillion await the services of the business process outsourcing sector here with a greater demand for Spanish-speaking call center agents.

The signing recently of a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Education and Spain’s Ministry of Education, the Cervantes Institute, and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development is expected to boost the chances of Filipinos landing a job in the BPO sector as the agreement will strengthen the reintroduction of Spanish language in public secondary schools.

“Aside from its direct link to our cultural heritage, learning Spanish in the 21st century can be a very potent tool for the Filipinos to compete in the global job market,” said Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.

Lapus added that “the relearning of Spanish language in our country also allows us to have better ties, including economic ties, with all Spanish-speaking nations in the world.” He also sees this undertaking as a quest to understand our nation’s past.

According to Lapus, this agreement will push for the advancement of the quality of teaching and the promotion of Spanish language and culture in the education system of our country.

Memorandum Order No. 276 signed by President Gloria Arroyo in 2007 directs the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to encourage the teaching and learning/relearning of Spanish throughout the Philippines.

The agreement was signed by Lapus and Jose Manuel Martinez Sierra, director general of the Ministry of Education Affairs; Carlos Elberdi, director of AICD, and Carmen Caffarel, director of the Cervantes Institute in Barcelona, Spain.

The support of the Spanish government in the teaching of Spanish language has been implemented in schoolyear 2009-2010 as first phase. Second phase would be from 2013 to 2014.

The pilot phase which started in June 2009 reintroduced the Spanish language in 15 secondary schools around the Philippines. A total of 35 teachers were trained and some 1,000 students benefited from this program. — Johanna T. Natavio/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)