Guidelines on deployment of English teachers to China might be signed during Xi’s visit to PH

MANILA—The guidelines on the deployment of Filipino English teachers to China have already been finalized, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

Bello said the deployment will start once guidelines for the government-to-government hiring scheme are signed.

“We already came up with the guidelines on the deployment of English teachers…we just need to sign it,” he said in an interview.

Bello said he expected the signing to take place anytime this month.

“Once signed, we can already deploy…we are just waiting for that,” he said.

“They were thinking to have the signing when Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives here but its not concretized yet,” Bello added.

President Xi will visit the Philippines this month after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea.

According to the labor chief, an initial 2,000 English teachers are needed for the program in mainland China.

“Initially 2,000 but it could be more depending on the need,” Bello said.

He said the salary would range from US$1,400 (P74,200) to US$1,600 (P84,800) with the contract renewable after two years.

The labor chief also revealed the possibility of more workers being deployed to China, this time involving skilled workers.

“They are talking again of another bilateral agreement this time involving skilled workers,” said Bello.

It was last April when Secretary Bello and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Employment of Filipino Teachers of English Language in China.