VP Duterte wants PH to be destination for ASEAN English-language learners

Vice President Sara Duterte, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, bared plans to make the Philippines a destination country for English-language learners from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-states.

She said this during the courtesy visit of Lao Ambassador to the Philippines Songkane Luangmuninthone at the Department of Education (DepEd) central office. Duterte holds the position of Education chief in a concurrent capacity.

The Vice President shared that she had discussed with Laos' envoy about inviting more students from Laos to study in the Philippines.

This is one of the reasons why the DepEd is leaning toward English as the medium of instruction in schools.

"We discussed the importance of the English language as a medium of instruction in schools because we see that around the ASEAN nations, it's usually the Filipinos who are English teachers," she said.

READ: Schools, universities may offer ASEAN languages — Duterte

"And we talked about the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) visiting Laos so that we can invite more Laos university students to study here in the Philippines," Duterte added.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. favors the English language as the medium of instruction in schools because Filipinos are advantaged as "English-speaking people."

He also said foreign employers hire Filipinos because of their command of the English language, adding that English is the language of the internet and the global marketplace.