March 31, 2020

As the nation and the world continue to face the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, the Philippine Association for Language Teaching, Inc., wishes to announce that the 2020 National Conference and Convention slated at Saint Mary’s University, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines from 7 to 9 May 2020 has been postponed due to this continuing health emergency. Instead, the national conference and convention will be merged with the 60th PALT Anniversary and 2020 PAC International Conference in Language Education to be held in Angeles University Foundation, Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines from 3 to 5 December 2020

The difficult decision was made by PALT’s Board of Trustees after taking into consideration the developments of the past few months in which hundreds of thousands of people across the globe have been infected by the disease. These infections have led many nations, including the Philippines, to severely restrict domestic and international travel. The Philippines has also imposed enhanced community quarantine on Luzon, where Saint Mary’s University is located, which led to the closure of government and private offices, businesses, and establishments not deemed essential by local authorities. These decisions have made it difficult for PALT to organize a national gathering in May. It is for these reasons and PALT’s concern for the health and well being of its members and participants that it arrived at this decision to postpone the confab. More importantly, this postponement will allow PALT’s will allow its officers and members to focus on more essential concerns of the community and the nation. 

Despite the postponement of its national convention, PALT will continue to accept online applications for membership. Those who are interested in becoming PALT members will find detailed instructions here: https://www.paltphilippines.com/regular. 

PALT is constantly evaluating the situation in order for it to make an updated guidance on its upcoming activities and engagements, especially information related to its international conference in December. The latest details for this international conference can be found on this page, https://www.paltphilippines.com/2020icon-1, while those interested in presenting their papers can submit through this link:  https://forms.gle/ikrcbSrsGoo9kfVe7. The organization also encourages you to regularly visit PALT’s website, https://www.paltphilippines.com, and Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PALTNationalConference/, for updated and relevant information. 

PALT is one with the nation and the world in this fight against this dreaded disease. With everybody’s cooperation, proper communication of information, and concerted and coherent government action, PALT believes that humanity will conquer this pandemic.