Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III

The Department of Labor and Employment has issued implementing guidelines for the recruitment and deployment of more than 100,000 Filipino teachers to teach English in China. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that many Chinese nationals can barely understand, much less speak English, and tapped the Philippines because it is known for its excellent English education program. The guidelines spell out the memorandum of understanding on the employment of Filipino teachers of the English language that the Philippines and Chinese governments forged in China last April, Bello said.In the joint guidelines, the qualifications of applicant were set, the roles and responsibilities of both governments defined, and the system of deployment and acceptance were laid down. Interested Filipino teachers must be employed in private higher education institutions in the Philippines or those not currently employed in public institutions in the country. In terms of education, an applicant must have obtained a bachelor’s degree from normal universities or in education or English language from Philippine educational institutions accredited by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. They must also have a valid certificate of registration above intermediate level and a professional license issued by the Philippine Board of Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (PBLEPT). Aside from these, an applicant should have not been charged or convicted of any crime or administrative offense, is in good health condition, and has no mental problem or pernicious habits such as drug addiction and excessive drinking.With regard responsibilities, the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) of the People’s Republic of China, as the counterpart in the agreement, shall guide local administration of foreigners working in China in the approval, issuance, supervision, and quota usage of the Foreigner Work Permit (FWP) for Filipino teachers of English language. They shall also provide the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) with the list of duly accredited TEIs and ensure strict implementation of the standard employment contract. The Philippine Embassy and its Consulates in China shall serve as the contact window to address and resolve all labor-related concerns pertaining to the hiring and deployment of teachers, and those that may arise on site. The POEA, meanwhile, through its Government and Placement Branch shall provide adequate support in the recruitment, orientation, processing, and documentation of Filipino teachers-applicants. It shall also undertake the pre-screening of applicants and endorse a shortlist of pre-screened applicants to SAFEA, together with their application papers. Meanwhile, the number of Filipino teachers of English language to be accepted, as provided for in the guidelines, shall be based on the actual situation of market supply and demand determined annually through negotiation by both governments.