MANILA, Philippines — Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) wants to launch five more foreign language courses for Filipino workers in a bid to further upskill Filipino workers.
In a statement on Saturday, TESDA Deputy Director General for Operations Ancieto Bertiz III said that their National Language Skills Center "is planning to open additional language courses, such as Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Italian, and French."
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The agency said there is no target date yet on when the proposed language courses will be available.
The new offerings will strengthen the competitive edge of Filipino workers, TESDA said.
TESDA Officer-in-Charge Deputy Director General Rosanna Urdaneta said they are working with foreign embassies and international organizations to rollout the courses.
TESDA said its National Language Skills Center (NLSC) currently offers courses for English proficiency geared towards customer service workers, Japanese language and culture, and the Spanish language for different vocations.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his inaugural speech on June 30, placed importance on learning the national language "with equal emphasis and facility in a global language". He also emphasized that overseas Filipino workers must be given all the advantages to survive and thrive on foreign soils. — Angelica Y. Yang