Chamber to institutionalize ESL

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will commence a new advocacy path – institutionalizing the development of English as Second Language (ESL) – as this is expected to provide good employment and extra source of income for Cebuanos.

CCCI president Ma. Teresa Chan said that the chamber will convene the players of the institutions that  are offering ESL in order to professionalize more this promising sector, specifically that non-English speaking nationalities are looking at countries that have tourism appeal like the Philippines.

"The academe committee of the chamber will convene industry players and deliberate on this matter within this year," said Chan.

Although ESL is part of the academe and has its own standards and is already institutionalized, Chan said there is still a need to organize a formal industry out of this promising sector so that proper programs and regulations will be introduced in favor of its development.

"Since it has become a sizable sector, the non-regulation can potentially affect industry reputation (reputational risk), we can now plan to regulate but make sure not to make it difficult for industry players to operate and participate. Otherwise, it can contract instead of  help expand the industry," Chan.

Earlier, the Department of Tourism (DOT-7) announced its effort to beef up Cebu's potential as preferred ESL destination of the non-English speaking nationalities.

DOT Central Visayas regional director Rowena Montecillo said that her office is working with two groups from Korea and Japan to sell Cebu as an ESL hub in their respective countries.

Montecillo said although these two nationalities are the more obvious and sure market for the development of ESL industry in Cebu, the region is also looking at other nationalities who are seeking English language tutorial services.

According to Chan, developing this industry and making sure it achieve its full potential  is not only good for the tourism and academe sectors but it will also give full-time or part-time job opportunities for more Cebuanos. — (FREEMAN)