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By Rommel C. Lontayao Reporter
Filipinos’ proficiency in the
English language has improved over the past two years, breaking the
downward pattern since 1993, a survey conducted by the Social
Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
The survey results showed the
number of Filipinos who understand, write, speak, and think in
English went up.
“Although three surveys in 1993
to 2006 showed a decline in English competence, the 2008 survey
suggests that a substantial recovery has occurred,” said SWS
President Mahar Mangahas. The survey was conducted from March 30 to
April 2 this year.
The SWS survey found out that the
number of Filipinos who understand spoken English improved from 65
percent in March 2006 to 76 percent in April 2008.
Other figures pertaining to the
Filipinos’ English language proficiency also went up: of those who
are able to read English, from 65 percent to 75 percent; of those
who are able to write in English, from 48 percent to 61 percent; of
those who are able to speak in English, from 32 percent to 46
percent; and of those who think in English, from 27 percent to 38
percent.
Mangahas said that the apparent
improvement of the Filipinos’ English proficiency as shown by the
survey “does not appear due to mere sampling variation” because
the “recovery pattern persists when the data are tabulated by the
English-related factors of social class, education, and
occupation.”
Among classes A, B and C
respondents, English proficiency figures improved except in the
“understands English” area, where the figure went down from 88
percent in March 2006 to 82 percent in April 2008. Among classes D
and E respondents, all figures went up.
Usage of the English language has
also recovered in 2008 after the 2006 SWS survey showed a slight
decline, Mangahas noted.
The SWS survey was conducted
using questionnaires given to 1,200 adults divided into random
samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, the Balance of Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao. Margin of error is at plus-minus 3 percent for
national percentages and plus-minus 6 percent for area percentages.
SWS conducted the survey as part
of the preliminary report to the Promoting English Proficiency
project of the American Chamber of Commerce and the Makati Business
Club.
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