Online English education platform plays bigger role in post-COVID era

"These are just a few examples of how our teachers' lives are changed one online English lesson at a time. And on top of providing quality English language education to Chinese students, our teachers go beyond their duties to ensure our students grow and develop as successful individuals," Huang added.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, 51Talk donated 5.25 million Philippine Peso worth of personal protective equipment from China as a way to help out local hospitals facing supply challenges.

It has also fostered partnerships with the academe, industry, and the government to achieve its goal of empowering qualified Filipinos through online teaching opportunities. According to Huang, the Philippines is actually not short of talents who can speak fluent English, but it lags in terms of infrastructure and connectivity that will allow more Filipinos access to teach online.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian also highlighted the fact that online education and other booming digital industries in China have cultivated a win-win cooperation between the two countries, which have not only accelerated the development of online education in China, but also provided a large number of job opportunities for Filipinos.

"I'm very pleased that 51Talk is providing an opportunity to competent Filipino educators to take part in nurturing the eagerness of young Chinese people to learn the English language. This educational exchange, albeit virtual, provides an enabling environment for cultural exchange between Filipinos and the Chinese," said Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana.