10 August 2005 – Chargé d’Affaires, a. i. (CDA) Dinno M. Oblena of the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that there has been no announcement or advertisement from the Cambodian education sector and educational institutions for large-scale demand and opportunities for teachers from other countries to work in Cambodia, contrary to a recent Philippine television report that teachers are in demand in Cambodia.

CDA Oblena said that the Philippine Embassy has been receiving reports about Filipino teachers inquiring about possible employment in Cambodia due to the perceived demand for Filipino teachers – especially those who teach English – in the country.  This perception apparently stems from a feature report aired this month on a Philippine television and cable network saying that teachers are in demand in Cambodia.

CDA Oblena explained that, while Filipinos may have had a less difficult time getting good-paying jobs in Cambodia in the past, this is not currently the case as Cambodia slowly develops itself and its people.  He mentioned that newcomers are now discovering that it is no longer easy to find employment as teachers in Cambodia – some having to go without work for several months or even years, thus having to use all their savings for living expenses and visa fees.

CDA Oblena said that the number of unemployed Filipinos in Cambodia is now growing at a slow but steady rate.  Most of them had come to Cambodia as tourists, taking advantage of the 21-day visa-free policy of the country.  When the visa expires, CDA Oblena said the Filipinos obtain another visa at the Cambodian Department of Immigration.

In his report, CDA Oblena said that even Filipinos who have been in Cambodia for a long time are now having difficulty in looking for or sustaining jobs.  Embassy officials have interviewed several teachers who have come to Cambodia looking for teaching jobs.  These teachers had already been teaching in public or private schools in the Philippines and had already gained security of tenure, yet left their Philippine jobs because of the perceived demand and high pay in Cambodia.   CDA Oblena said that most of them have now become disillusioned after months of unemployment and/or receiving poor salaries and benefits.

CDA Oblena added that the influx of teachers has also created an unnecessary imbalance in the general payment scale as competition for teaching positions has led teachers to accept lower pay scales and fewer units just so that their employment can be retained.

He said that most teachers are at a disadvantage at times because they agree to work without a written contract despite the advice of the Embassy and the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority (POEA) to secure a POEA-endorsed employment contract.   In view of this, CDA Oblena reiterated the importance of registering with the POEA and signing a POEA-endorsed contract to ensure adequate protection for the rights of the OFW.

CDA Oblena assured the Department that the Embassy will continue its information drive on the legal process of working in Cambodia and extend assistance to all Filipinos in Cambodia.  END