DSWD Expands Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, 2,800 More Parents and Guardians to Receive Cash-for-Work Payouts
Manila — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) initiated another round of cash-for-work (CFW) payouts on Thursday, benefiting an additional 2,800 parents and guardians under its Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program. This follows a previous batch of 1,065 beneficiaries who received their payouts in Valenzuela City on Wednesday.
According to a new release by the Philippines News Agency, parents and guardians participating in the program are given PHP 235 per Nanay-Tatay session, with monthly amounts ranging from PHP 705 to PHP 2,585, depending on the number of sessions attended. These sessions are part of the program’s broader aim to strengthen family and community support systems for struggling and non-reader elementary students.
In addition to attending 20 Nanay-Tatay learning sessions, participants are required to assist their children with educational preparation and after-reading session assignments. Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez commented that these sessions serve as a critical component for building a robust support ecosystem for young learners.
The DSWD also disbursed cash-for-work payouts to 700 college students involved in the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela on Thursday. These college students, ranging from their 2nd to 4th year, are trained to act as tutors and Youth Development Workers (YDWs) to conduct both reading and Nanay-Tatay sessions. The guidelines for these sessions were crafted by the DSWD in collaboration with the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED).
Beneficiaries of the program expressed their gratitude and outlined how they plan to use the funds. Avenger Charles, a parent from Caloocan City, stated he would allocate the money for his child’s daily needs and school supplies. Another recipient, Javinette, plans to use her PHP 1,180 payout for her children’s vitamins and school supplies.
The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program operates as a comprehensive social welfare and development model, creating an ecosystem where college students are capacitated and deployed as tutors. These students also serve as Youth Development Workers, conducting parenting and learning sessions for the parents and guardians of elementary school learners. The program compensates college students with PHP 610 per day for a period of 20 days, while parents receive PHP 235 per day for attending the teaching sessions.