Job Discussion Forums

teachsab · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 7

Greetings,

I'm just curious if there are any Native English speaking teachers currently working in the Metro-Manila area? If so I wouldn't mind sitting down and talking about your experiences whether it be online or over a cold one. Just send me a PM with your email and I'll drop you a line back. Thanks!!

SAB

P.s. Ghost need not reply to this post as I live here and yes I do work here, lol.

vessel2000 · Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: South Korea

I am in teaching in South Korea, but I vacation in Manila or Cebu. Send me a pm with contact info, next time I am on my way, I will send you a shout.
By the way, I am looking to teach in the Phils, actually, if I could make a living there, I would never leave!
I cant see how there are few jobs teaching English there, most of the natives I spoke to had atrocious pronunciation. Even a few that spoke no English whatsoever!

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

Do you folks ever wake up and smell the coffee?

Your chances of getting paid work in the Philippines are virtually nil for the following reasons.

1. Teaching English is not a profession that foreigners are allowed to engage in, because it is not a needed skill. The Philippines Dept. of Labor does not recognize TESL teaching as an import skill. You would be found out, and deported, and maybe never allowed back into the Philippines if you break their laws which are draconian and based on the U.S. model.

2. The few schools that exist are owned in their vast majority by Koreans who have a Philippines work permit, and they (the Koreans) employ native Filipinos for about 50 pesos an hour. They don't need and can't afford peope like you, and besides, you would probably be less effective in the classroom anyway, compared with those Filipino educators who are full of life, and have, generally, much better teaching skills than most of us.

Employing Filipinos is a win-win situation for the Korean school owners. Trust me you will not get anything from applying.

Last year, to prove a point, I applied to the 30 language schools in the Philippines, sending scanned copies of all my diplomas. The result? - just one response (yes, one response!) from Berlitz Manila.....that is it.

Sorry if this sounds harsh but that is the reality. I am a long time part time resident of the Philippines, with part ownership of a guesthouse. I know the ins and outs of the system.

Work in Korea and other places where you can save $15.000-$20.000 a year, and go to the Philippines on vacation or for retirement.

Ghost in Korea

teachsab · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 7

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

I agree that working as an ESL/EFL specialist is unlikely to happen but you could always TEFL with some mill like Berlitz.

cosmosmariner · Joined: 09 May 2003 Posts: 34

If you are interested in ESL in the Philippines, check out the call centers in Manila and Cebu. You wont get rich, but they do have openings from time to time.