PHNOM PENH—Filipino educator Teodoro Ariel “Teddy” Publico, who is an “English-as-second-language” or ESL teacher, recently conducted an English language-training program for more than 40 staff members of the Cambodian Senate’s secretariat-general at the Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia’s Institute of Foreign Languages.
Organized by the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh upon the request of the Cambodian Senate, the three-month training started on August 6.
During the opening ceremony, Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Myca Fischer recalled the various capacity-building programs provided by the Philippine government to Cambodians in the past, and noted that this English-language training is “a manifestation of our continuing commitment to an Asean community that is socially cohesive and people-oriented.”
English is the working language of Asean.
The embassy tapped the services of Publico, who committed to deliver quality English education for professionals and promote the tatak-gurong Pinoy (mark of a world-class Filipino teacher).
Hailing from the province of Cavite, the Pinoy teacher arrived in Phnom Penh in 2014.
This is the third English-language class arranged by the embassy for the secretariat-general. The initial three-month course was held in May 2015 and benefited 18 Cambodian Senate staffers. The second three-month module was offered in January 2016 and given to 20 similar participants.
As of June 30, there are 1,023 education professionals among the 6,773 Filipinos in Cambodia registered with the Philippine Embassy. These Filipino teachers are found in universities, international schools, language-training centers, and kindergartens. Some are instructors of music, physical education, math, science and, like Publico, English.
According to Fischer, the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh has received feedback from students and their parents, who said that they appreciate the nurturing and hardworking nature of Filipino teachers in Cambodia.
DFA
Image credits: PHNOM PENH PE