At least 11,592 struggling learners, parents, and poor college students in Eastern Visayas benefited this year from the expanded Tara, Basa! (Let’s read) tutoring program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) this year.

In a statement on Monday, the DSWD said the initiative supported 1,512 college students serving as tutors and youth development workers (YDWs), 5,040 struggling readers, and 5,040 parents and guardians.

Implemented in 132 public schools across Tacloban City, Ormoc City, and Samar province, the program addresses reading challenges while providing financial assistance to low-income college students.

Qualified college students from poor families were tapped to tutor struggling or non-reader pupils and conduct learning sessions for parents.

In exchange, the students received daily wages equivalent to the regional minimum wage of PHP435 for 20 days.

Parents who attended the sessions with topics including effective parenting, dynamics of Filipino families, challenges in parenting, and children’s rights, among others, are entitled to a daily allowance of PHP235.

Payouts to beneficiaries have started in parts of Ormoc City, with mass distributions scheduled soon in Tacloban City and Samar.

“With the success of the 2025 expansion, the DSWD recognizes the significant contributions of all involved stakeholders from the Department of Education, local government units, and partner state universities and colleges (SUCs),” the DSWD said.

Partner SUCs include Northwest Samar State University, Samar State University, Leyte Normal University, Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) main campus, EVSU Ormoc campus, and City College of Ormoc.

The 20-day sessions started on May 19 and concluded on June 13.

The measure is a reformatted educational assistance program for college students from low-income families. (PNA)