Archive for May 27th, 2008
BPO experts: Pinoys’ ‘improved’ English skills need more improvement
By Jesus F. Llanto
May 18,2008-Filipino adults may rate themselves better speakers of the English language, as what a recent survey showed, but business process outsourcing (BPO) experts think further improvement is needed in their proficiency if the Philippines is to compete for investments and jobs with other outsourcing havens in Asia.
The Philippines is currently a top destination for outsourcing firms for being an English-speaking country, but China, Vietnam, and Latin American countries are fast catching up by strengthening the English proficiency of their work force.
“We should not be complacent so we can still maintain our advantage,” Jamea Garcia, executive director for talent of the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), told Newsbreak.
The Social Weather Stations presented Thursday the results of an April 2008 survey on self-assessed proficiency in the English language of the Filipinos, which was commissioned by the Promoting English Proficiency Project of the American Chamber of Commerce and the Makati Business Club (MBC.) –with research by Fharhana Abdurahim (abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak)
New town created in Basilan after 30-year lobby
May 16, 2008-A new municipality has been created in the province of Basilan, cementing the reputation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as the region that most frequently fragment existing local government units (LGU), usually despite their economic non-viability.
A regional lawmaker defended the creation of numerous LGUs, saying it helps prevent clan wars because political families are given their respective turfs, but made guarantees that no more LGUs will be created in the coming years, at least in Basilan.
The town of Tabuan-Lasa was carved out of Sumisip, a third-class municipality. Tabuan-Lasa is composed of 12 barangays—Babag, Balanting, Boloh-Boloh, Bukut-Umus, Kaumpurnah, Lanawan, Pisak-pisak, Saluping, Suligan, Sulloh, Tambulig Buton, and Tong-Umos.
It was created through Muslim Mindanao Act No. (MMA) 187, which was ratified in a plebiscite last March 29. Its creation brings the number of municipalities in Basilan to 11 and reduces the number of barangays in Sumisip, its mother municipality, from 41 to 29.
