BlendPH, Metacademy Language Training Center Partner to Upskill Pinoys

BlendPH and TESDA-accredited training center Metacademy Language Training Center, Inc. recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement to enable more Filipinos to gain foreign language skills and up their chances of landing better-paying jobs.

The move signifies two things. First, even amidst the pandemic, Filipinos continually want to improve their financial situation by tapping good-paying job opportunities, and engaging in a high-value activity like learning a foreign language through training programs is a good way to start. “There is a high demand in the Philippines for students who want to learn the Japanese language,” said Anthony Dela Cruz Decena, a licensed teacher and businessman who is the founder of Metacademy Language Training Center. Metacademy’s key target market includes individuals planning to work in Japan, and call center agents aiming to become bilingual.

Indeed, learning a new language can be a marketable skill, one of the best assets for employment, whether in the local BPO setting, or for overseas jobs. Metacademy currently offers Japanese lessons, but plans are afoot to offer Mandarin, Spanish, and Korean classes as well.

The second important significance of the partnership agreement of Blend PH and Metacademy Language Training Center is the current potential to step up financial inclusion for more Filipinos. Metacademy has partnered before with finance companies, and has seen how lots of working professionals can tap language skill to move ahead in their careers and improve their lives.  When the pandemic hit, limited funds or lack of financing held back lots of individuals in pursuing courses and career plans, Mr. Decena noted. Alternative financing through a consumer lending platform, such as loan products offered by Blend ph, has been “a very big help.”

Through online money lending, specifically an education loan that can be obtained by applicants-students of Metacademy via the BlendPH funding platform, more learners get to upskill and take a stab at exciting job prospects in the country as well as abroad.

Metacademy’s Main Goal

Originally started as Metamorphosis (which connotes preparing for something big) Training Center, a Department of Trade and Industry-registered sole proprietorship under the name of Anthony Decena, the language training center was incorporated in January 2021. The corporate name was changed to Metacademy Language Training Center. Its ultimate goal: to help Filipinos land a job locally or internationally by arming them with high quality Japanese language skill.

Since its inception, the training center has been instrumental in aiding over a thousand Filipinos secure local jobs in the BPO sector. It has also continuously endorsed individuals who have completed language traiining for Japan employment with the help of its POEA-accredited partner agencies.

Metacademy’s Japanese Language Program has a duration of 320 hours, covering N5-N4 (ability to understand basic Japanese) level. It includes Learning Materials, Certificate of Completion, review for JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) and JFT (Japan Foundation Test), and job endorsement.

The team-up of Metacademy and Blend PH augurs well for individuals who wish to build confidence in being able to speak, explain, and negotiate in a foreign language, but are financially challenged. The ticket to doing so as a way to improve employability may be in the form of educational or student loans with flexible or easy payment terms, something that P2P lending Philippines pioneer Blend ph offers.

The P2P landscape at a glance

Across the world, particularly in the US, P2P or peer-to-peer lending as a platform to advance financial well-being has been around for over a decade. It has been noted by experts as “a tectonic shift in the financial services industry.” 

Over the years, with the rise of several peer to peer lending firms in Southeast Asia that have exhibited the technological capability to build lending platforms, the US has been surpassed, with China leading the major lenders.

The best peer-to-peer lending sites have a streamlined application process. Consumers can explore various types of lenders and prioritize their needs to determine which P2P lending websites are right for them.  Before applying for peer to peer loans, consumers need to determine how much they need to borrow and how quickly they need access to the funds. They should also be able to indicate the specific use of the funds bring borrowed.

Not all peer to peer lenders have a quick loan turnaround. The Prosper peer to peer lending company has been reported to be “slow in funding” but is noted as being among the best for borrowers with established credit history. It can offer high loan amounts, which can be a boon or bane. Responsible borrowing and knowledge about interest rates are a must for people to avoid sinking into debt or spend a lifetime paying off debts like student loans.

In the Philippines, leading players, led by Blend ph, have partnered with service providers and rolled out innovative offerings. The biggest opportunity for a lending service provider lies in being able to offer consumers the right products at the right moment. That is the key to winning.

Whether you need a franchise loan to fund your small business, a personal loan to cover your debts and other expenses, or an education loan to get your act together, upskill, and get a higher-paying job, a peer to peer lending platform like Blend PH, with its partner-firms, can help you reach your financial goals and prosper.