English is widely recognized as the language of international communication, spoken by nearly two billion individuals worldwide. Proficiency in English provides access to diverse opportunities, particularly within the global labor market (Mulsadmin, 2021). In the Philippines, however, recent years have seen a gradual decline in English proficiency. The 2022 English Proficiency Index ranked the country 22nd among Southeast Asian nations, reflecting a downward trend from earlier positions: 14th in 2018, 20th in 2019, 27th in 2020, and 18th in 2021 (Banzuelo, 2021). This performance is notably distant from its 13th-place ranking in 2016. Such decline underscores the need for comprehensive government action to strengthen the educational system while safeguarding the welfare of teachers, who remain the frontliners of learning delivery (Equipado & Gilbas, 2021). Teachers are not only viewed as conveyors of knowledge but also as role models who shape values and aspirations, a responsibility that entails considerable professional and personal challenges.

Within the Philippine ESL context, teachers occupy a central role in bridging linguistic gaps, fostering communicative competence, and responding to shifting educational demands. The professional role of English teachers has evolved significantly with the introduction of innovative pedagogical approaches and the integration of digital and smart learning tools. To remain effective, teachers must adapt to rapid developments in education, science, and technology, while tailoring instruction to increasingly diverse learner needs. Despite this pivotal role, many Filipino teachers experience workload intensification, frequently performing tasks beyond classroom instruction (Domingo, 2020). They often invest personal time and resources to sustain the quality of learning, making significant sacrifices in the process. As Corner (2020) argues, teachers must continually reflect on their pedagogical practices and recalibrate their roles in alignment with the principles of teaching English as a global or international language. Such adaptation, however, does not entail discarding traditional practices altogether but rather balancing them with emerging approaches.

Teacher welfare, in turn, is shaped by broader institutional and contextual conditions. Ece and Kazazoğlu (2021) emphasize that job satisfaction is influenced by multiple factors, including classroom interactions, institutional support, course design, the availability of resources, and demographic conditions. For English teachers in the Philippines, these factors directly affect their capacity to deliver effective ESL instruction. This reality highlights the pressing need for systemic support structures that complement pedagogical innovation, ensuring that educators are adequately equipped and motivated to sustain excellence in English language teaching.

 

Bibliography

Abrar, M., Mukminin, A., Habibi, A., Asyrafi, F., Makmur, M., & Marzulina, L. (2018). “If our English isn’t a language, what is it?” Indonesian EFL student teachers’ challenges speaking English. The Qualitative Report. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2018.3013

Ayalew, T., Woldemariam, G. S., & Alemu, A. (2022). EFL teachers’ stress and coping strategies: The case of public primary schools in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. GIST Education and Learning Research Journal, 25, 8–40. https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.1516

Aziz, A. A., Swanto, S., & Azhar, S. B. (2019). Coping with stress: Exploring the lived experiences of English teachers who persist in Malaysian rural schools. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(3), 506. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v8i3.15249

Banzuelo, N. (2022, November 17). Philippines drops to 22nd in English proficiency ranking. BusinessWorld Online. https://www.bworldonline.com/infographics/2022/11/18/488034/philippines-drops-to-22nd-in-english-proficiency-ranking/

Cahyati, P., & Madya, S. (2019). Teaching English in primary schools: Benefits and challenges. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Current Issues in Education (ICCIE 2018). https://doi.org/10.2991/iccie-18.2019.68

Carabot, G.A. (2022). Parents’ competencies and involvement in facilitating modular instructions: Its relation to students’ personality development. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 2(3), 55-75. https://doi.org/10.53378/352904

Castro, J. S. (2023). Exploring the lived experiences of ESL teachers in the teaching of English subjects. UC Journal: ELT, Linguistics and Literature Journal, 4(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.24071/uc.v4i1.5657

Cheung, R. S., Hui, A. N., & Cheung, A. C. (2020). Gifted education in Hong Kong: A school-based support program catering to learner diversity. ECNU Review of Education, 3(4), 632–658. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531120967447

Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2013). Teaching thematic analysis: Overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. The Psychologist, 26(2), 120–123.

Corner, W. E. (2020, May 28). Teaching EIL – The changing role of language teachers – Willy’s ELT corner. https://willyrenandya.com/teaching-eil-the-changing-role-of-language-teachers/

Domingo, P. (2020). Triumphs and struggles in teaching the English language. International Journal of Studies in Education and Science. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijses.9

Ece, E., & Kazazoğlu, S. (2021). A study on online EFL instructors’ teaching satisfaction during pandemic. Journal of Computer and Education Research, 9(18), 1084–1097. https://doi.org/10.18009/jcer.1017362

Equipado, E. B., & Gilbas, S. A. (2021). Lived experiences of the elementary teachers in a remote school. International Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, 9(1), 1-10.

Groenewald, T. (2004). A phenomenological research design illustrated. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 3(1), 42–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690400300104

Güneş, H. (2017). Issues related to English language teaching at primary schools and suggested solutions. Journal of International Social Research, 10(54), 731–737. https://doi.org/10.17719/jisr.20175434639

History. (n.d.). Municipality of Hamtic | The first Malayan settlement. https://hamtic.gov.ph/history/

Importance of having a positive attitude in life. (2020, August 18). Times of India Blog. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/thereality/importance-of-having-a-positive-attitude-in-life-24763/

Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2009). Experiential learning theory: A dynamic, holistic approach to management learning, education and development. In The SAGE Handbook of Management Learning, Education and Development (pp. 42–68). https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857021038.n3

Lopez, E.B. (2021). Comics-based worktext for reading comprehension and vocabulary skills in world literature. International Journal of Educational Management and Development Studies, 2(3), 67-82. https://doi.org/10.53378/352896

Madalińska-Michalak, J., & Bavlı, B. (2018). Challenges in teaching English as a foreign language at schools in Poland and Turkey. European Journal of Teacher Education, 41(5), 688–706. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2018.1531125

Mulsadmin. (2021, March 2). Student blog – Why is it important to speak English? Malta University Language School – Learn English in Malta. https://www.universitylanguageschool.com/student-blog-why-is-it-important-to-speak-english/

Nanda, D. W., & Azmy, K. (2020). Poor reading comprehension issue in EFL classroom among Indonesian secondary school students: Scrutinizing the causes, impacts and possible solutions. Englisia: Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities, 8(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v8i1.6771

Oktavia, D., Mukminin, A., Marzulina, L., Harto, K., Erlina, D., & Holandyah, M. (2022). Challenges and strategies used by English teachers in teaching English language skills to young learners. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 12(2), 382–387.

Songbatumis, A. M. (2017). Challenges in teaching English faced by English teachers at MTsN Taliwang, Indonesia. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.2223

Suarez, G. & Diva, C. (2022). Using reader response strategy and affective learning domain in teaching literature to enhance critical thinking. International Journal of Educational Management and Development Studies, 3(4), 61-82. https://doi.org/10.53378/352938

Teacher Cel. (2016). These 3 major challenges of the English system in the Philippines that make our English as unique as it is. https://bit.ly/3PZ75zg

Yongco, J.O. & Del Valle, J.M. (2022). Development and evaluation of instructional module for special program in journalism. International Journal of Educational Management and Development Studies, 3(4), 97-117. https://doi.org/10.53378/352948