The Philippine Normal University (PNU), the country’s National Center for Teacher Education, warmly welcomed pre-service teachers from SOKA University for the UNESCO School and Education in the Philippines Study Tour and the English Language Proficiency Program (ELPP) from February 22 to March 14, 2026. The three-week academic and cultural engagement officially commenced with a vibrant Pagsalubong or welcoming program organized by the International Volunteers and Leaders Body (InVOLB), where songs, dances, cultural presentations, and inspirational messages introduced the visiting Japanese students to PNU’s proud heritage of teaching excellence. The opening also featured the “PADAYON” program and a Language Proficiency Pre-Test to assess the participants’ baseline English skills, marking the formal beginning of their structured language training. The welcoming program began with inspiring welcoming remarks from Dr. Leah Amor S. Cortez, Vice President for Student Success and Stakeholders Services and facilitated by the Linkages and International Office led by its director, Prof. Bryan C. Dayuta.
Developed by the Faculty of Languages and Literature, led by the Associate Dean, Dr. Joel C. Malabanan, the ELPP is a customized program designed to strengthen Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) among pre-service Japanese teachers. Conducted every morning from 8:30 to 11:30 AM, the sessions focus on practical, real-world communication through carefully designed thematic modules such as Self and Family, Hobbies and Interests, Food and Cooking, Health and Well-being, Cultural Traditions and Festivals, Travel and Sightseeing, and The Marketplace.
Through interactive discussions, role-playing, listening tasks, reading exercises, and guided writing activities, the students progressively build confidence in speaking, comprehension, and written expression. In the afternoons, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, English major students of PNU serve as Student Buddies, providing conversational practice and peer support in an authentic yet low-anxiety learning environment across various campus venues. This buddy system enables the SOKA students to apply newly learned vocabulary and structures in meaningful, everyday exchanges.
Beyond classroom instruction, the program integrates weekly cultural tours and school engagements to enrich the students’ understanding of Philippine history, education, and heritage. Among the highlights are visits to the Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite and the Las Piñas–Parañaque Wetland Park, as well as immersion activities at the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and National Museum of Natural History. The students also explore historic Intramuros, including Fort Santiago, and engage in collaborative university activities and school visits in Valenzuela and Pampanga. These experiences allow them to witness Filipino traditions firsthand, understand the local education context, and practice English in authentic social and academic settings.
The program culminates on March 13 with the closing “PADAYON” send-off activity, a heartfelt tradition of gratitude extended to international guests of the University. The event will feature performances, testimonials, memory sharing, and the distribution of Certificates of Completion. A post-test assessment will measure the students’ progress in fluency, listening comprehension, reading strategies, and writing proficiency, reflecting the growth achieved over three weeks of intensive academic and cultural engagement.
