SIX employees from the provincial capitol of Misamis Oriental will be sent to six-month classes to learn three foreign languages, such as Mandarin, Nihongo and Arabic, in order to become the provincial government's interpreters.

This was realized after a Chinese investor visited the province and Governor Yevgeny Emano had to call for his friend to interpret.

“Kaya naisip ni guv na magpaturo talaga ng different languages, kasi yan yung basic. Yung Mandarin, Nihongo at tsaka yung Arabic, yan yung basic na language na posibleng mga investors na papasok sa Misamis Oriental (That's why governor thought that there is a need to teach some employees different languages such as Mandarin, Nihongo and Arabic since it’s the basic languages possible investors spoke whenever they visit Misamis Oriental),” Nicole Managbanga, provincial information officer, said.

The one semester or six-month classes will be held every Saturdays and Sundays in the provincial capitol's training center in Cagayan de Oro City.

Initially, Emano planned to send the selected six employees to Manila to learn the three languages but changed his mind and decided to have the language classes here in Cagayan de Oro City after the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda) offered to provide the foreign language teachers.

“Sabi ni Tesda director [Tesda-Northern Mindanao Director Tarhata Mapandi], recently, yung pumunta sya sa office ni guv na ‘Meron tayong mga instructors guv, dito na lang, wag mo nalang papuntahin sa Manila.’ So trained din sa Tesda ang mag train sa kanila (The regional director of Tesda-Northern Mindanao said, during her recent visit to the governor's office, that lwe have instructors, governor, just do it here and don't send them in Manila.’ So the trainers are also trained by Tesda),” the provincial information officer added.

At present, according to Managbanag, they have not yet selected the six employees to be taught the said foreign languages.