This paper explores the professional identities of four Filipino English teachers (FETs) who instruct international students at a language academy in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), a special district for the Philippines’ globalization. Employing a narrative inquiry approach, data was gathered through individual interviews, and subsequently analyzed using a thematic analysis framework. The findings indicate that the participants assume three distinct roles within the academy. As experts in English language teaching, they consider themselves the equal of, or even superior to, native English-speaking teachers, which they attribute to their language proficiency, pedagogical skills, and content-based teaching. In their role as educational caretakers, they prioritize their students’ well-being, providing motivation for English language learning, and offering emotional support. Furthermore, they identify themselves as international teachers, having deliberately chosen BGC as their career destination to foster multiculturalism and global citizenship. This study is of particular significance, as it scrutinizes the roles of FETs, frequently categorized as “non-native teachers,” within the context of globalization.

Urban regeneration has emerged as a new paradigm of urban development today. In this situation, awareness has increased that urban regeneration should be pursued in connection with culture and art (Evans, 2009). Urban transformation has continued through internal restructuring in an expanded or reduced scale by economic and social changes (Garcia, 2004). Initially, diverse public/private parties initiated urban image improvement and strong brand creation through leading developmental strategies in order to attract floating enterprises, residents and tourists. At this time, states built culture-centered urban regeneration strategies in relation to urban development and regeneration such as large-scale culture and art facility establishment or large event hosting (Couch, 1990). However, in the modern society, with the elevated awareness on environment, the focus has shifted from development towards service industry and tourist industry in urban. In this sense, cultural policies are deemed to be responsible for the expanded idea of urban development considering diverse aspects from physical and economic aspects, to social significance, sustainability and to culture and art (Bianchini & Parkinson, 1993; Garcia, 2004).