03/27/2008 [ tribune.net.ph ]
They contribute to the government coffers about P150 million in special study permit fees apart from providing employment to over 5,000 local English teachers.
These are just some of the economic gains the country’s close to 200 South Korean language schools here are providing the government.
With Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Marcelino Libanan’s thrust to help South Korean operators of language schools here with their immigration needs, employment opportunities for local language teachers here could further be enhanced.
In his speech at the Seminar for Korean Off and On Line English Institutes last March 14, Libanan told the over 80 South Korean participants his office would be open to suggestions from foreign operators of English language schools if only to enhance employment opportunities for Filipino language teachers and to encourage more South Koreans to come to the Philippines to learn English.
“The Philippines has indeed become a favorite educational hub in the Asia-Pacific region. This can be gleaned in terms of the current burgeoning number of foreign students enrolling in our local language schools,” Libanan said.
“And as far as the Bureau of Immigration is concerned, we have not set any limitation to the number of Korean language schools here, provided, however, that they are properly accredited and registered with other concerned government agencies,” Libanan added.
The seminar which was organized by the Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (KCCP) was participated in by Korean investors in language schools here. Discussed during the seminar were topics on immigration special study permits, labor and taxation.
According to Libanan, the intervention of KCCP in “building bridges through languages” is very timely, relevant and strategic because of the ever increasing mobility of South Koreans to and from the Philippines.
KCCP president Jae Jang said Libanan’s support for the Korean community and his foreigner-friendly immigration policies have significantly contributed to the growing number of South Koreans visiting the Philippines each year. Conrado Ching
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