Korean students urged to study English in RP

SEOUL — Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano yesterday invited Korean students to seriously consider taking up English language proficiency courses in the Philippines.

Speaking before tourism students of the Sejong University here, Durano said Filipinos are very conversant in English as this is taught in school from the primary grades up to the university level.

"Our proficiency in English has effectively eliminated the language barrier to globalization," Durano told students in the packed auditorium of the university.

He said the predominant use of English in the Philippines is one of the reasons why many Koreans come to the country.

Data from the Department of Tourism shows that there are about 13,000 Korean students currently studying in the Philippines. Of this number, 1,800 are enrolled in universities for degree courses.

"These students graduate from our universities with degrees that are normally accepted by American schools. Thus, they find it easier to pursue further studies in the United States," Durano added. "To a certain extent, we attribute the growth of Philippine tourism to our English as a Second Language (ESL) program, which enables our graduates to speak the most widely taught and understood language in the world."

He advised students though to look for schools accredited by the Department of Tourism.

Earlier in the day, Durano met with editors of the Korea Times, a major newspaper in Seoul, which is advocating the use of English as a second language. Korea Times expressed its support for the DOT’s invitation for Koreans to study in the Philippines.

Durano also assured Koreans that it is now safe for tourists to come to the country because of the security being provided to tourists by the police and military, particularly the Navy’s Task Force Stingray, which is tasked to keep the country’s beaches safe for tourists. — Mike Frialde