PH English Proficiency

Singapore tops Asia in English skills after 

Philippines, Malaysia,India

News Global

Pradeep Rana Wednesday,October 31st 2018

Singapore tops in Asia with 68.43 score in English skills. Graphics courtesy: EF EPI

Singaporeans possess the highest degree of English skills in Asia, followed by people from the Philippines, Malaysia, and India, according to a new study.

Globally, among the non-English countries, Singapore is third after Sweden and Netherlands on "Very High" English proficiency Index that lists ten countries from Europe, besides Singapore and South Africa, according to a ranking released by EF EPI. The EF English Proficiency Index attempts to rank countries by the average level of English language skills amongst those adults who took the EF test.

Singapore ranks 3rd among 12 countries in "Very High" English proficiency band Graphics courtesy: EF EPI

"With rapid growth in trade and technology, Asian countries with strong English proficiency are thriving. Singapore, which has consistently scored in the top 10 of the EF EPI, has had a trade to GDP ratio of over 300% since 1960. Although India is better-known for offshore services, it is the Philippines, with less than 10% of India’s population, which has the larger number of call centers," it says.

The ranking for the year 2018 was released after collating results from 1.3 million people spread over 88 countries and regions who took the test on its online proficiency testing portal. The proficiency is divided in five bands: Very High, High, Moderate, Low, and Very Low.

The study has thrown up some interesting results such as societies that speak English are "more open, less hierarchical and fairer to women." But it hastens to add that English per se cannot be said cause these societal improvements.

"The correlation makes sense. English breaks down barriers, fosters international exchange, and exposes individuals to the wider world," it says.

Women are found to speak better English than men. Though last year the men did narrow the gap, this time women are again in a clear lead.

But despite that "women speak less in meetings and negotiations than men and are interrupted more when they do speak."

"Research into how boys and girls learn foreign languages has shown that female students are more motivated, use a wider variety of strategies to retain new information, and are more willing to make mistakes. Women, on the whole, are also more likely than men to finish secondary school and attend university. Unfortunately, businesses are not benefitting as much as they could from women’s English skills," it points out.

Asia straddles all five proficiency bands with three countries in the upper quartile of the index and four in the bottom ten per cent. But English proficiency did not improve despite high level of investment in Asia.

"Singapore improved from an already strong base, moving into the third position in the overall ranking. China and Japan did not experience significant changes, and both remain in the Low Proficiency band. The lack of English skills in Central Asia became clearer this year with the addition of Uzbekistan to the index, which, along with Kazakhstan, falls in the Very Low Proficiency band," it notes.

Level of English proficiency vis a vis tasks that one can perform Graphics courtesy: EF EP

India missed High Proficiency band with one notch, thus sits at 28th global position atop Moderate proficiency band. The study points to inability of a very large, but poor workforce that can not afford decent education. Multiple ethnicity speaking 22 native languages also seems to have made English compete for space in India which made a head start in global IT outsourcing business because of its clear advantage of a large English speaking population. Its perceived rival in offshore business hiring, China, still sits in Low proficiency band despite major policy initiatives by the government ahead of Beijing Olympics.

EP EFI finds a high correlation between English proficiency and ability of a country to attract, develop, and retain skilled workers. "English proficiency allows local talent to participate in global conversations and is also critical in attracting talent from abroad. A 2017 HSBC survey ranked Singapore, Norway, Germany, and the Netherlands, all very high English proficiency countries, in the top five for their appeal to internationally mobile professionals. While attracting expats is not every region’s priority, nurturing local talent certainly should be." it says.

The eighteen countries listed in Asia are evenly divided between nine that improved and nine that did not. Singapore and Cambodia posted significant increases in their scores this year, while Bangladesh experienced a significant decrease. Only Sri Lanka and Macau SAR moved from a lower proficiency band to a higher one.

The study also claims English and innovation go hand in hand.

"More scientific journals are published in English than in any other language, and we’ve found consistent correlations between English and investment in R&D. This relationship is particularly interesting in light of recent research showing that companies with managers from many countries earn more of their revenue from innovation than less diverse competitors. English is changing the way that ideas flow from one place to another."

However, while EF EPI insists on numbers it is silent on the qualitative aspect of research and innovation as some of the revolutionary innovations have indeed come from countries that never use English as medium.

New Oxford English words

New Philippine English words in Oxford English dictionary give us food for thought

From bagoong to carinderia, Philippine English words related to food recall the country’s diverse cultural, and culinary, heritage

By Lisa Lim

South China Morning Post

28 Oct 2018

A carinderia in the Philippines. Picture: Alamy

Many in Hong Kong have been belatedly celebrating the September 2017 inclusion of Hong Kong English expression “add oil!” in the Oxford English Dictionary. The most recent update, released this month, includes 1,400 entries that hold novel lessons, exemplified by the Philippine English words.

The etymologies of these words span several languages, reflecting the diversity of cultures in the Philippines. Some of the words originate, expectedly, in Tagalog, a major indigenous language and the basis of the national language, Filipino: one example is “bagoong” (a fermented or salted fish paste).

Others come, also predictably, from Spanish, a legacy of 333 years of colonisation. The deep-fried pastry-covered fruit “turon”, from the Spanish almond-and-honey nougat called turrón, entered Philippine English via Tagalog.

Other words reflect less-considered but long-standing communities. “Bihon” (“noodles”), which entered English from the Tagalog “bihon”, is derived from the Hokkien “bí-hún” (“rice flour”, “rice noodles”). Similarly, the Tagalog “pancit” (“noodles”) in panciteria – an inexpensive restaurant typically serving noodle dishes – is ultimately from the Hokkien “piān-ê-sit” (“convenience food”), narrowing to mean “noodles” later.

These words testify to the Chinese communities’ significance, specifically those from Fujian province, who comprised most Chinese settlers in the 1800s, and Chinese hawkers catering to colonial Spanish Philippines working women.

Panciteria, with the Spanish suffix -tería (“a place where something is done”) – as in “cafeteria” – demonstrates a multi­lingual blend. So does “carinderia”, a roadside cooked-food stall, where the Tagalog “kari” derives from the Tamil “ka ṟ i ” (“curry”), recalling the Philippines’ wide-ranging South Asian presence: from pre-Hispanic Hindu kingdoms; Gujarati merchants in the 17th-century; and sepoy troops arriving during the British occupation of Manila (1762-64); to Indian businessmen of the 1930s and 40s.

A simple pancit dish of fried noodles.

These words were brought to the OED editors’ attention by Philippine English speakers through a crowdsourcing initia­tive. This underscores the point of dictionaries: not to pres­crip­tively instruct correctness, but represent actual usage in language varieties, with words being included once a commu­nity of speakers demonstrates widespread, systematic use.

Philippines on GDP All-time High

The Philippines Per Capita GDP Has Reached An All-Time High Under Duterte

Panos Mourdoukoutas

Contributor

Forbes.com

27 October 2018      

The average Filipino is doing better under Duterte.

When it comes to Per Capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), that is. That’s a measure of the total output of a country divided by the number of people in that country.

The Philippines’ Per Capita GDP was last recorded at an all-time high 2891.36 US dollars in 2017, according to Tradingeconomics.com. That’s well above the average of 1627.98 USD for the period 1960-2017.

Also, Filipinos are doing better under Duterte when Per Capita GDP is adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP). That measure, too, reached a record 7599.19 US dollars in 2017, well above the average of 4969.71 USD for the period 1990-2017.

Statistic	2015	2017
Per Capita GDP	$2615.7	$2891.36
Per Capita GDP PPP	6874.4	7599.19
GDP Annual Growth Rate	6.5%	7.2%

Source: Tradingeconomics.com 10/26/2018


To be fair, comparing Per Capita GDP in USD for different time periods is a tricky exercise. Numbers can be distorted by population growth and currency fluctuations. For instance, the climb in the Philippines per capita GDP has been helped by a slow-down in population growth. It's also an ongoing trend that can be traced back to the Aquino administration, which brought macroeconomic stability to the country.

“Aquino is delegating power to competent technocrats and seems to understand what needs to be done to get the lights back on,”  wrote Ruchir Sharma in Break Out Nations (W.W. Norton Company, 2012).

Macroeconomic stability has helped the Philippines economy demonstrate a great deal of resilience in recent years. At the end of 2017, it grew at an annual 6.9% in the September quarter. That’s the strongest growth since the third quarter 2016. And the Philippines’ economy was still growing at 6% at the end of 2018.

Tracing Per Capita GDP growth back to the Aquino period certainly raises the question: who should take credit for the record Per Capita GDP, Aquino or Duterte?

Meanwhile, a recent McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) study places the Philippines among the few emerging market economies that are well-prepared to achieve sustained growth over the next decade.

That's thanks to a rise in Gross Fixed Capital Formation (investment). It reached 695414.08 PHP Million in the second quarter of 2018 from roughly 450,000 PHP Million in July of 2015--well above the 303138.16 PHP Million for the period 1998 until 2018, and an all-time high.

Still, the Philippines’ per capita GDP is equivalent to 23% of the world's average, which makes Filipinos poor. And a resurgence in the cost of living in recent months makes things worse for them.

The Philippines' annual inflation rate rose to 6.7% in September of 2018 from 6.4% in the August, and compared to market expectations of 6.8%.

That’s the highest reading since February 2009, thanks to soaring food, transportation and utility prices.

Inflation, together with revolution and corruption, has suspended Philippines economic progress before, and it will do it again, if they aren’t addressed effectively.

PH in right direction

SWS: Pinoys believe PH in ‘right direction

Ralph Villanueva

Manila Times

27 October 2018

THREE of four Filipinos believe that the country is moving toward the “right direction,” a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) found.

Market goers look for a cheaper goods at the Commonwealth Market. PHOTO BY RUY MARTINEZ

The survey, conducted from September 15 to 23, also found that 22 percent of Filipinos said the country is headed in the wrong direction.

The remaining 3 percent were undecided.

The 75 percent figure is 5 percent higher than June 2018’s mark.

All areas in the country had higher marks compared to last quarter’s numbers.

The survey showed that 89 percent of the people in southern Mindanao, from June’s 87 percent, believe that the country is in the right direction, the highest in the country.

The region is then followed by those in Balance Luzon at 73 percent, from June’s 68 percent; Visayas at 69 percent, from June’s 66 percent; and Metro Manila at 65 percent from June’s 57 percent.

The figure also rose by 4 points in overall rural areas, at 79 percent from June’s 75 percent and by 2 points in overall urban areas at 68 percent from June’s 66 percent..

Those who believe that the country is going in the right direction rose by 5 percent in class D, at 75 percent from last quarter’s 70 percent; and by 2 points in class E, which is at 72 percent, from last quarter’s 70 percent.

The figure, however, fell by 4 percent in Class A, B and C, currently at 80 percent, from June’s 84 percent figure.

The survey was welcomed by Malacañang.

In a statement released on Friday, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the survey shows that the people continue to trust President Rodrigo Duterte and his ways of steering the country.

“We view this as a reflection of our people’s continued trust and confidence in the President and an affirmation that the policies and programs of the current administration are on the right track.

President Duterte emphasized in numerous occasions that as government workers, we are here to serve the people. Our objective as public servants is thus being able to perform our respective duties well,” Panelo noted.

He said he hopes that results of the SWS survey would make more people support the administration.

“We hope this strong public appreciation, which is seen in the uptick of survey numbers in all geographic areas, would further engage our people in supporting this administration in building a nation where all Filipinos can experience comfortable and decent lives under a trustworthy government,” Panelo added.

“Together, let us work hand in hand to realize the President’s vision for the Philippines,” he said.

Those who believe the country is headed in the right direction gave Duterte a +72 net satisfaction rating, while those who say the Philippines is going in the wrong direction gave him a -3 net satisfaction rating.
The survey was conducted among 1,500 adults nationwide.

It had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, ±4 percent for Balance Luzon and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.

PH in International Privacy body

PH wins seat in international privacy body

Christia Marie Ramos
Inquirer.net
25 October 2018


The Philippines has earned a voting seat in the five-member executive committee of the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (ICDPPC), the National Privacy Commission (NPC) said on Thursday.

The ICDPPC is a worldwide conference of 119 independent regulators from all over the world, coming together to explore high-level proposals on data privacy and protection.

“Having a seat at the committee’s table to take part in addressing challenges that privacy regulators face is definitely a privilege for the NPC,” NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro said in a statement.

“It’s an opportunity for learning from each other’s experience. Definitely, the Philippines although young has a lot to contribute too especially in assisting new members,” he added.

As part of the committee, the NPC is expected to take part in setting the agenda of the conference and in defining its strategic direction for the next years.

The ICDPPC’s executive committee, according to NPC, is composed of five elected members with a term of two years.

Current members include the privacy authorities of Australia, Canada, Burkina Faso, and the United Kingdom which holds the chairmanship, NPC added

“It is an honor for the NPC to represent the country at the ICDPPC, especially in a leadership capacity,” Liboro said.

“This is an acknowledgement of the hard work we expend, as well as the country’s commitment to data protection,” he added.

According to NPC, it became a member of the ICDPPC in October 2016, steadily advocating for the Philippines and the Asian regional voice to resonate in the global forum.  /muf

Top PH Universities in Asia list

More Philippine universities join QS’ annual Asia list

BUSINESSWORLD

October 25, 2018

THE RANKS of Philippine universities making it to the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Top 500 Universities in Asia grew to eight in the 2019 edition with the addition of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), according to a press statement the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) released on Wednesday.

The University of the Philippines (ranking 384^th globally from 367^th in the 2018 edition) topped local institutions on the list, rising in rank to 72^nd in Asia from 75^th in the 2018 edition.

UP was followed by the Ateneo de Manila University (115^th from 95^th in Asia and 651^st-700^th from 551^st-600^th globally), De La Salle University (155^th from 134^th in Asia and 801^st-1,000^th from 701^st-750^th globally), University of Santo Tomas (162^nd from 145^th in Asia and flat at 801^st-1,000^th globally), University of San Carlos (steady within 301^st-350^th in Asia), Mapua University (also steady at 401^st-450^th in Asia), MSU-IIT (451^st-500^th in Asia) and Siliman University (also 451^st-500^th from 351^st-400^th in Asia).

QS gauged Asian universities using 11 indicators, namely: academic reputation (with a 30% weight); employer reputation (20%); faculty-student ratio, international research network and citations per paper (each with 10%); papers per faculty and staff with doctorate degrees (each with five percent); as well as international students, inbound exchange and outbound exchange (each with 2.5%).

Sought for comment, De La Salle University (DLSU) sent an e-mail, saying it “acknowledges the value of different surveys that rank academic institutions worldwide using various criteria.”

“These appraisals allow us to view the institution from different perspectives.”

It noted, for instance, that “QS rankings are driven chiefly by the results of an academic reputation survey among faculty and researchers worldwide, different from other bodies that prioritize criteria like publication output, citations, internationalization of faculty and staff, etc.”

“There are many other measures that allow DLSU to take stock of its performance. There is no ‘one’ standard that can accurately measure excellence,” the university said.

“To further boost the quality and competitiveness of our public and private institutions, the commission will soon launch a project through its International Affairs Service that will assist Philippine universities to showcase their excellence to the world, promote their internationalization initiatives and increase global reputation through international benchmarking assessment of institutions using internationalization metrics,” CHEd’s statement quoted the commission’s chairman, J. Prospero E. De Vera III, as saying.

“Through this project, we expect more Philippine universities to be included in the internationalization rankings and develop programs that improve the quality of education in their respective institutions.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan