To ensure the readiness of college students who will be part of this year’s Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program (TBTP) as tutors and youth development workers (YDWs), they were required to join a comprehensive four (4)-day capability building program from April 21 to 30, 2025, in various areas in Cebu.

With over 1,800 participating college students, the regional program management office strategically divided the capability-building activity into clusters strategically held in Cebu City for the YDWs in Metro Cebu, Mandaue City for the Tutors in Mandaue City, in San Remigio for participants in the northern part of Cebu, and in the municipalities of Argao and Moalboal for the southern areas.

The bringing of the training into the northern and southern areas ensures accessibility for the college students as well as their safety.

The four (4)-day training delivered structured lectures and essential training to prepare college students for their roles including guidance on conducting effective reading tutorials and facilitating parenting sessions during their deployment, equipped them with practical skills and teaching strategies to support Grade 2 learners, especially struggling or non-readers, in developing essential reading abilities, and instilled the values of the “Kabataan sa Bagong Pilipinas” initiative by fostering civic responsibility and national pride, highlighting the role of youth in building a better nation—one child, one story, one reader at a time.

Part of the topics discussed included Understanding Differentiated Instruction, Elements of Differentiated Instruction, and Strategies for Differentiated Instruction; Print Awareness, Phonemic Awareness and Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, Comprehension; Developmental Milestones of Children Aged 6-7, Rights of a Child, Positive Discipline; Basic Facilitation Skills, Teaching Children How to Read and Learn by Heart; and, an orientation and discussion on the Guidebooks for Tutors and YDWs for Learners and Parents.

The college students also had a return demonstration after the sessions.

To complete their capability-building activity, the college students also had to attend a discussion on child protection policy, data privacy, the Safe Space Act, persons with disabilities, and cultural sensitivity.

Community Assembly

Meanwhile, to level off expectations, Parent/Guardian-beneficiaries were assembled for an orientation on the program on May 5-9, 2025, in their respective communities throughout Cebu.

Part of their orientation is a discussion on their eligibility criteria, roles and responsibilities as parents and/or guardians, policies and guidelines, and documentary requirements and process of their Cash-for-Work payout.

The orientation allowed the parents and/or guardians to raise their questions and suggestions before the implementation starts.

In her video message for the parents and/or guardians, DSWD 7 – Central Visayas Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero expressed her gratitude for their attendance during the orientation despite having other responsibilities at home and work, proving their love and care for their children.

She also emphasized the importance of their participation during the Nanay-Tatay Teacher Session and their responsibilities as parents and guardians, whom their children, the non-reader learners, look up to as role models.

After the week-long community assemblies for the parents and/or guardians, the TBTP Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) will proceed with the pre-deployment activity for the college students to refresh them with the essential topics they need during the implementation, such as strategies, grievance protocols, and logistical support plans. Also, the RPMO will distribute its kits to the students.

The DSWD will implement the program this year from May 19 until June 13, 2025. ###