A free Italian language beginner course is being offered in Manila

A beginner course on the Italian language is being offered for free in Tondo, Manila.

According to JP Soriano's report on "24 Oras," Thursday, the free lessons are organized by the Embassy of Italy in the Philippines and the Philippine Italian Association.

Among those who signed up for the course was Dan Vicente Losabia, who is planning to work in Italy soon.

"I will work po in Italy kasi it's a dream country for me to work there po. Pagka-graduate po siguro magte-take lang din po ng board and then after few years, magta-trabaho na po sa Italy," Dan said.

Teaching the course are Italian nationals who are now residing in the country alongside Filipino teachers who are fluent in the language.

The embassy said that Italy has a high interest in accepting more Filipino workers in their country, including Filipino nurses, seafarers, and engineers.

"Maritime and engineering, for instance, you are so good in that. And Italy is a superpower with, you know, maritime technology," Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Marco Clemente said.

As of now, there are no formal talks yet between the embassy and the Department of Migrant Workers regarding plans on hiring more Filipino workers in Italy.

Those who learned the language may also use the skill in applying for jobs at BPO companies.

"Let's say normal BPOs' [salary is] 20, for bilingual, you can double that or triple that 'cause it's a skill," Philippine Italian Association General Manager Guinell Flores said.

—Carby Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News