00:00The Tarap Basa or Let's Go Read program of government is a symbiotic process that helps kids struggling with reading and comprehension skills,
00:09learned by way of dedicated college student tutors who are provided reasonable compensation for their services.
00:15And as our Noel Talakay reports, the program also raises parental confidence in guiding and teaching their kids that all boils down to a win-win formula for government.
00:24Nikki Tambis, a third-year college student, is taking up psychology at one of the country's top universities.
00:34However, she says that despite this, she still strives to get the best college education despite her financial situation.
00:43She's from Davao. That's why she needs to rent a dorm for her shelter in Quezon City. And this adds to her burdens.
00:51Kasi nagdo-dorm ako so kailangan din bayaran yung dorm, yung bills, yung water, yung electricity.
00:58She also admits that her parents' allowance is not enough to cover all her expenses as her scholarship allowance is sometimes given to her late.
01:07Hindi naman talaga always magkakasya so binabudget talaga like 100 per day lang sa kain.
01:13The needs and financial problems of all college students in the country like Nikki have already been acknowledged by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
01:25That's why the DSWD encourages all college students from poor families to take advantage the Tarabasa tutoring program for financial relief.
01:37But how are they going to be part of it?
01:39Meron po tayong listahanan. So yung listahanan po natin ang naging reference in identifying poor families with mga college students na enrolled in state colleges or universities.
01:52If not included in the agency's listahanan, they can also visit regional offices of the DSWD.
02:00Just make sure that they belong to a poor family and currently enrolled as second or third year college students.
02:08Ang maganda pong gawin ng mga interesado na mga mag-aaral na enrolled in state colleges and universities at kabilang sa mga mayhirap na pamilya ay magtungo po sa field offices ng DSWD.
02:20According to the DSWD, the program is being implemented in 10 regions in the country since 2023 and it has a positive impact not only on elementary students but also on college students who serve as tutors and youth development workers.
02:39Dumlao also emphasized that with the help of the Department of Education, a study has shown that there have been improvements in the reading capabilities of elementary students where the program is being implemented.
02:54This is the reason why the DSWD will soon expand the program to other regions in the country.
03:00And from that study that was conducted in coordination with the Department of Education ay tumaas po yung bilang o yung reading literacy amongst the beneficiaries.
03:10According to the functional literacy, education, and mass media survey of the National Statistic Authority, 9 out of 10 Filipinos aged 5 years and older are now learning how to read, write, and count.
03:24According to the data of the DSWD, there are now 55,000 college students who are benefiting from the Tara Basa tutoring program.
03:35Meanwhile, the Commission on Higher Education or CHED has announced that there are over 20,000 senior high school graduates who will soon benefiting from the Bagong Pilipinas program.
03:47It aims to support their tuition fees so that they can continue their tertiary education.
03:54Noel Talakay from the National TV Network for New and Better Philippines.
