In Philippines, falling English standards spark calls for film, TV dubbing ban

In a bill introduced on February 19, Negros Occidental Representative Jose Francisco Benitez noted that several international studies showed many Philippine students were struggling with advanced-level English reading comprehension and speaking skills.

“To address this, we must enhance learning delivery to enable the [skilled] acquisition of English as a second language [ESL] … Mass media can enable children to develop English proficiency,” according to Benitez’s bill.

His proposal calls for a fine against film and TV content providers for dubbing English programmes, but they are still required to include Filipino subtitles.

“Using subtitles as opposed to dubbing in English films and TV programmes could be significant in enhancing English proficiency,” said Salve Calderon, who teaches English to junior and senior high school students at Bataan National High School in the city of Balanga.

Having strong English language skills is important for the Philippine economy, particularly in the key business process outsourcing or call centre sector, Calderon said.

“However, it [the dubbing ban] may not directly address the main causes behind falling English language skills,” she told This Week in Asia.

The veteran teacher said she has observed a decline in English proficiency among students at all levels. Even older students who have studied the language for years are facing difficulties in understanding more advanced-level English content.

Her assessment is attested by the findings of several international education studies.

According to the 2022 International Student Assessment (PISA) of 81 countries, released last December, the Philippines was ranked the sixth lowest in reading comprehension with no significant improvement in this area