Philippine lawmaker pushes for Chinese language promotion in schools

MANILA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- To boost the competitiveness of Filipino workers in overseas labor markets, a Philippine lawmaker has pushed for the promotion of the Chinese language at all school levels.

"We already have the edge in foreign labor markets because our workers can speak English. We should now aspire to double that advantage by encouraging more Filipinos to learn Mandarin early," House of Representatives Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan said in a statement on Sunday.

He added that learning Chinese, the world's most widely spoken language, will open up new opportunities for Filipinos who wish to work or travel in China, and Chinese-speaking countries such as Singapore.

Libanan urged elementary and high schools to encourage the creation of Mandarin student clubs. "We already have many young learners from Filipino-Chinese families that speak Mandarin. They can help put up Mandarin clubs in their schools," Libanan said.

Libanan also called on the country's state universities and colleges to offer Mandarin courses as part of their foreign language programs.