By Roy Mabasa The number of Filipinos studying in the United States had increased by 2.9 percent this year, according to the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Cultural Affairs Counselor Matt Keener (Twitter) Based on the data released by Open Doors this month, 3,320 Filipino students enrolled in various U.S. universities this past year as compared to 3,225 in 2018. Open Doors is a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the United States, and U.S. students studying abroad for academic credit at their home colleges or universities. The survey is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). This is the third straight year that the number of Filipinos studying in the United States has increased. U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Cultural Affairs Counselor Matt Keener said they are delighted to see continued strong growth in the educational exchange between the U.S. and the Philippines. “Our countries share deep historical and cultural ties, and the Philippines is brimming with talent and opportunity.  The U.S higher education system, with its unmatched quality and range of options, is a natural fit for Filipinos seeking an international education and we are ready to welcome the next generation of Filipino leaders,” Keener said in a statement issued by the Embassy on Wednesday. Overall, the number of international students in the U.S. set an all-time high in the 2018-19 academic year. This is the fourth consecutive year that the program has reached more than one million international students. According to the report, the total number of international students, 1,095,299, is a 0.05 percent increase over last year.