[originaltext] America continues to lead the world as a destination for inte

America continues to lead the world as a destination for international students. Last year about 900,000 foreign students were studying in the United States, about half of them from Asia. But a growing number of Asian students are looking to an English-speaking country much closer to home—the Philippines.
    The island nation of 100 million is quickly becoming the education center of Asia. The country’s low prices, open culture, and quality schools are attracting record numbers of foreign students. Koreans are leading the way, according to Jose L. Cuisia, the Philippines Ambassador to the United States.
    The Philippines is in a unique position to benefit from the global demand for English education. American colonialism brought the English language here in the early twentieth century. Although it is not the native language of most Filipinos, English is an official language here. More than 60 years after independence, Filipinos still speak English with a strong American accent. Today, the Philippines markets itself as the world’s third-largest English-speaking country.
    The truth is there are actually more people who speak English in the Philippines than the national language. English is learned even outside of school because a lot of the communications are done in English, public signs are in English, television and Internet are all in English.
    Low prices and its location in Asia helped to produce the education explosion in the Philippines. The capital, Manila, has cheap non-stop flights to Tokyo, Seoul, and other Asian capitals. The rising U.S. dollar has made American education more expensive than ever before.
    There are hundreds of private and public schools in the Philippines that teach English or teach in English. More advanced students can take regular university academic courses in English. Others study at beachside resorts, where they mix language study with vacation. Some Korean families even move to the Philippines so their children can learn English in public schools.
    As in the U.S., schools in the Philippines range from world-class to low-quality "diploma mills."
    In most Asian countries, students learn English through grammar and translation from the mother language. In the Philippines, students are encouraged to practice speaking English in real-life situations. In general, there is less emphasis on grammar and error correction.
    In the Philippines you can see English everywhere, on the signs, in businesses and offices, and in schools.
16. What do we learn about the Philippines?
17. What do we learn about the English language in the Philippines?
18. How do students learn English in the Philippines?