President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday reported that more than 348,000 Filipinos have benefitted from the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program (TBTP), which he hailed as a flagship literacy and youth employment initiative of his administration.

Speaking at the program’s National Culminating Activity, Marcos said the initiative directly addresses reading backlogs in public schools while giving financially challenged college students cash-for-work opportunities.

“Pangarap ng bawat magulang ang magkaroon ng maganda at maaliwalas na buhay ang kanilang mga anak. Naniniwala tayo na ang susi upang maabot ang pangarap na ito ay ang edukasyon (Every parent dreams of a good life for their children. We believe that the key to achieving this dream is education),” the President said.

Implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, National Youth Commission, state universities and colleges, local government units, and other agencies, the TBTP deploys college students as tutors for struggling elementary readers and as youth development workers (YDWs) guiding parents in “Nanay-Tatay” sessions.

In return, they receive wages equivalent to the regional daily minimum after 20 completed sessions.

Marcos said both learners and tutors gain from the arrangement.

“Bilang tutor, sila ang tumutulong sa ating mga estudyante na gumaling ang kanilang pagbabasa. Kapalit nito, nahasa rin ang mga tutor sa pagtuturo at paglilingkod sa kanilang komunidad (As tutors, they help students improve their reading. In return, the tutors also develop their teaching skills and sense of service in the community),” he said.

The Chief Executive, citing his own experience as a teacher, said the dynamic creates a “symbiotic relationship.”

“Teachers learn more than the students,” he added, noting that his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, has taught law for more than two decades.

The President capped his speech by honoring teachers in time for National Teachers’ Month, calling them heroes of the Philippine society.

“Ang husay ng ating kabataan ay nasa kamay ng ating mga guro kaya’t kailangan talagang suportahan… at kailangan pa nating kilalanin na sila ay isa sa mga bayani sa lipunan ng Pilipinas (The excellence of our youth rests in the hands of our teachers, who must be supported and recognized as heroes of Philippine society),” he said.

Launched in 2022 and institutionalized under Executive Order No. 76 in November 2024, the TBTP is part of the administration’s broader effort to recover pandemic learning losses and build strong foundations in literacy nationwide. (PNA)