Ilocos region: About 3,000 youths in the Ilocos Region are set to benefit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) "Tara, Basa!" (Let's Read) tutoring program this year. The initiative aims to address foundational literacy gaps among young children while simultaneously offering cash-for-work opportunities to students who serve as tutors and youth development workers. These individuals will receive the daily minimum wage for conducting two- to three-hour tutorials and parenting sessions over a span of 20 days.

According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD 1 (Ilocos Region) Director Marie Angela Gopalan stated that the program is designed to enhance learners' literacy skills through a tutor-to-learner ratio of 1:5. Additionally, the initiative features a youth development worker-to-parent ratio of 1:10 during the Nanay-Tatay sessions, which focus on involving parents in their children's literacy and improving parenting skills.

Gopalan emphasized the collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) to assist poor but deserving college students in meeting their educational needs. She clarified that the program is not a scholarship but a cash-for-work mode of assistance. The primary focus is on Grades 1 and 2 children with poor reading comprehension, while parents are also provided with coaching to ensure continuous learning for the children even after the program concludes.

Under the initiative, parents or guardians attending the 20-day Nanay-Tatay sessions receive PHP235 per day, further supporting family involvement in the educational development of their children.