The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday, Nov. 27 celebrated Malacañang's recognition of the “Tara, Basa!” reading tutorial program as a flagship initiative of the national government, following the issuance of Executive Order (EO) 76.
The executive order was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Nov. 22.
“We express our gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for acknowledging the educational assistance program initiated by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian. We are honored to spearhead this initiative, which aims to support low-income students and families," DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.
EO 76 aims to mobilize the collaboration of national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and the private sector to establish and expand a comprehensive learning program for elementary students.
Under the EO, DSWD is tasked with partnering with various government bodies—including the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, National Youth Commission, state universities and colleges, LGUs, and other relevant agencies—to implement and scale up the Tara, Basa! Program successfully.
Dumlao reiterated the DSWD’s commitment to expand the program’s reach and ensure that more communities will benefit from its services.
In 2024 alone, the DSWD said 120,359 college students, struggling and non-reading elementary learners, and their parents received support through the program.
Through the Tara, Basa!, college students are trained and deployed to selected elementary schools to improve the reading proficiency among students and lead “nanay-tatay” sessions for parents and guardians of the grade school beneficiaries.
In return for conducting 20 tutoring and parenting sessions, college students receive financial assistance based on the regional minimum wage in their area.
Meanwhile, in exchange for attending nanay-tatay learning sessions, parents and guardians receive a P235 stipend per session.
Launched in the National Capital Region in August 2023, the reading tutorial program was expanded in 2024 through partnerships with LGUs in Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Calabarzon.
It is a restructured educational assistance initiative by the DSWD, designed to create an ecosystem of learning.