BBC News: The Philippines- Low-cost English teacher to the world

The Philippines is fast becoming the world's low-cost English language teacher - with numbers of students trebling in the past four years.

There might be other countries that people think about as a classic place to learn English, such as the UK, the US or Australia.

But there is one key reason that they are switching to the Philippines. It's cheaper. And in the competitive market for language students, it means the Philippines is attracting people from countries such as Iran, Libya, Brazil and Russia.

"We have very competitive rates compared with other countries," says English teacher, Jesy King, saying that her school's fees are a third of the price of an equivalent course in the US or Canada.

The BBC's Kate McGeown reports from Manila.

BBC News (http://is.gd/Ifankn)

 

Philippines now Offered… "It's More Fun to Learn English in the Philippines"

Philippines ESL (English as a Second Language) Tour Program   

What Is the ESL Tour Program?

 ESL Tour Program is a tourist activity in which the study of English as a second language forms part of a structured tour package. The study of English becomes more exciting and fun through dynamic and creative ways of learning where participants get to interact, practice and use English more often in real-life settings thru games, outdoor activities, excursions and immersions. Aside from learning the English language, participants get to see the beautiful sceneries of the Philippine countryside and immerse with the local culture.

Why study English in the Philippines?

The Philippines has the following advantages as your alternative destination for the study of English not too far away from your home country:

English is widely spoken in the Philippines. It is used as the business language as well as the medium of instruction in schools and universities. 93.5% of Filipinos can speak and understand English well.

The Philippines offers the same quality English education at a much affordable cost.

The Philippines prides itself with rich natural and cultural resources that fascinate visitors.

What are the Requirements for Foreign ESL Students?

A.  Entry Requirements

Visit the Philippine Embassy or Consulate in your country to apply for a tourist visa. For prior information, you may refer to the Philippine website at www.dfa.gov.ph.

Requirements for tourist visa:

1. Completed application form
2. Passport size photo
3. Passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond the maximum stay being applied for )
4. Return airline ticket
5. Proof of financial capacity
6. Waiver of exclusion for minors 14 yrs. old and below
7. Any other documents as may be required by the consular officer
8. Visa Fee - $30 (approximate)

B.  Special Study Permit (SSP)

The Philippine Government, through the Bureau of Immigration (BI) requires all foreign tourists who wish to enroll in a non-degree course for less than one (1) year (which include short English courses) to secure a Special Study Permit (SSP) upon arrival in the Philippines.

Requirements for SSP Application

1.  Letter of request prepared by the applicant enrollee

2.  Affidavit of support prepared by the applicant enrollee or by parent/guarantor duly notarized by an attorney together with a bank certification (with English translation) in dollars and a minimum deposit of $800 (approximate).

• -Parent or guarantor stating financial support for the applicant enrollee (for applicant below 18 years old)
• -Self support stating the applicant enrollee's financial capacity to shoulder related expenses (for applicants 18 years old and above)

3.  Photocopy of passport reflecting the applicant's valid stay

4.  Birth Certificate

5.  Certificate of Acceptance from the school. Note: The school must be authorized by BI to accept foreign students. A list of BI-authorized schools may be secured from the Philippine Embassy in your country.

6.  Any other document as may be required

7.  SSP Fee - ₱3,730.00 or $68 USD (approximate)

Procedure for SSP Application:

Prepare all the required documents.

Present documents to your preferred school or Philippine tour operator to check if all documents are in order.

Submit application with supporting documents to the Bureau of Immigration or thru the school or tour operator. SSPs are issued within one (1) week upon application.

 C.  Visa Extension

Holders of tourist visa are allowed to stay in the country for a maximum of 59 days. Extension may be applied with the Visa Extension Section of the Bureau of Immigration.

Requirements:

Completed application form

Photocopy of photo, data, and latest arrival pages of the passport

Visa extension fee - $ 65 (approximate)

• Nationals who enjoy 21-day visa-free stay may apply for another 38-day extension. Visa waiver application fee is $37 (approximate).

 How long are the English courses?

 The duration of English courses vary depending on the need and/or objective of the student. Modules may range from one (1) week to one (1) month depending on the level of proficiency of students. In 1-week modules, English lessons are conducted daily. Excursions, immersions and other outdoor activities are integrated in the program to provide the students opportunity and conducive venue for practical application of what they learned in the classroom. For 1-month program, overnight out-of-town tours are arranged during weekends. In-depth English courses for more than a month can be arranged by the schools.

What are the costs?

Costs of English courses are dependent on the duration of the course, number of enrollees, type of instruction (group or one-on-one basis) and facilities/amenities provided by the school. Refer to Inventory of DOT-ESL Partner English Training Centers (see link below) for indicative fees.

Where do I get more information about ESL tours offered in the Philippines? How do I avail of these packages?

For information about ESL tours, please refer to the Inventory of DOT-ESL Partner English Training Centers (see link below) or contact any of the English training centers.

For other information on the Philippines ESL Tour Program, please send e-mail to:

E-mail:  ESL@phrepublic.org / rm_tizon@yahoo.com

Office of Product Research and Development

Department of Tourism

T. M. Kalaw Street

Manila, Philippines

For detailed information on the English courses, please download the list of participating English Training Centers:

 Inventory of the Department of Tourism - ESL Partner English Training Centers (authorized by Bureau of Immigration)

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AKYAT BARKO - OAV in Lisbon Portugal hits 6,171 Filipino Seafarers

Philippine Embassy in Lisbon sets record 6,000 Filipino seafarers registered as OAV period ends

The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon reported that it successfully concluded its registration activities for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) for the 2013 national elections with a record number of almost 6,000 Filipino seafarers who filed their applications during the Embassy´s six-month long Akyat-Barko campaign.

Inspired by the success during its first ship mobile registration in May this year onboard the cruise ship MS Crystal Symphony and the warm response of the Filipino crew, the Embassy´s OAV team embarked on a series of visits to various ships which called on the ports of Lisbon and Porto in Northern Portugal.

Overcoming the challenges posed by the shortage in manpower, resources, and some technical issues, the Embassy was able to visit 57 ships which had their brief stopovers in  Lisbon and Porto. Among the ships visited by the OAV team belong to Costa Cruises, Aida Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, P&O Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Saga, Holland America Lines, Silver Cruises, MSC Cruises, Fred Olsen, Crystal, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and other shipping companies.

Overall, the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon was able to receive and process 6,171 applications for registration, certification and transfer of records for the OAV including those from land-based overseas Filipinos. Philippine Ambassador to Portugal, Philippe J. Lhuillier who assumed his post in Lisbon only in October 8 was the last registrant until the closing hours of the embassy on October 31, the last day of registration.

With the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon in 2010, Filipinos living in Portugal no longer have to travel to Paris to avail of consular services and to register for the overseas absentee voting. Filipino seafarers, many of whom have not voted for more than 10 years because of their frequent absence from the Philippines during election time, are grateful to the Embassy for bringing the OAV registration closer to them.  

Ambassador Lhuillier praised the OAV team headed by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Rogelio Villanueva Jr. for their exemplary performance and dedication to duty whose members had to sacrifice their weekends and holidays for the OAV including the almost impossible task of boarding of three big cruise ships in a single day. The Ambassador recalled that in the Queen Mary 2 alone, the Embassy was able to register 365 Filipino seafarers.

OFW Global Forum (http://is.gd/9Tk06o)

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Asian Development Bank: British “Don’t miss the train” Invest PPP in the Philippines

Bridge Linking Cebu Airport - The Mactan Cebu International Airport 

British firms being wooed to invest in PPP

British firms are being urged to consider opportunities in the Philippines as the government is rolling out its public-private partnership (PPP) projects and as the country's investment climate is improving.

Speaking at the PPP and Infrastructure Forum and Mission, Asian Development Bank (ADB) country economist Aziz Haydarov said it is time to look at available opportunities in the Philippines as the government is looking for partners for various infrastructure projects.

"Don't miss the train," he said.

For his part, British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie shared the same view, citing that huge opportunities are available here for British companies as reforms have been undertaken by the Philippine government to improve the business environment through anti-corruption efforts.

He said the reforms undertaken are among the reasons why British companies are keen to be engaged in the country.

"I believe the time is right to take this cooperation to a new level. The commercial opportunities in the Philippines are huge...Investment now can be the platform needed for sustained growth in the years ahead," he said.

Government officials said opportunities are available in the transport and health sectors.

Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said opportunities are in the transport sector such as the extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 to Cavite, the unified ticketing system for all railways, as well as the development of the Mactan-Cebu International airport, among others.

Cebu Airport - The Mactan Cebu International Airport

In the health sector, Health undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa said in the same event that several opportunities are likewise available as the government is looking to modernize hospitals to provide health care.

In particular, Herbosa said, the government is working on the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center which would involve the construction of a 700-bed capacity hospital within the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City.

The government, he added, is planning to set-up eight cancer centers in the country with cancer being a common cause of death among Filipinos.

"The government owns two cancer centers, one in Tagum in Davao and one in the Lung Center (of the Philippines), but the World Health Organization (WHO) says we need more," he said.

Representatives of some British firms such as healthcare technology solutions provider GE Healthcare, structural, civil and geotechnical solutions provider Tony Gee & Partners, as well as Arup, which offers design, engineering and consultancy services, said they are interested in PPP projects and are looking at how they can participate in these.

Haydarov also said that even as the ADB has already extended technical assistance to the Philippine government for the PPP program, it is still "more than willing to offer assistance" for the undertaking.

"The pipeline has developed. There is much more confirmed or ready to go pipeline. That all catalyses activity," he said.

philSTAR

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