More than 3,000 college students from the National Capital Region (NCR) have received financial aid from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program as of Monday.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the college students rendered work as tutors and youth development workers (YDWs).

“They conducted reading sessions to struggling or non-reader elementary students and Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions to parents and guardians of the elementary beneficiaries, respectively,” she added.

In Monday’s cash payout at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV), a total of 500 college students received their cash-for-work (CFW).

Meanwhile, 2,857 tutors and YDWs from the cities of Mandaluyong, Pasig, Marikina, San Juan, Pasay, Navotas, and Quezon City received their cash-for-work during the Sept. 20 to 22 NCR payouts.

Each beneficiary — from 2nd to 4th year collegiate levels — received PHP12,480, equivalent to 20 reading or Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions.

“The amount they received is based on the regional daily minimum wage rate, which is PHP610 per day from July 1 to 16 and PHP645 starting July 17 onwards in NCR,” Dumlao said.

In July this year, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board – NCR (RTWPB-NCR) increased the daily minimum pay for non-agriculture workers by PHP35 from the previous PHP610 daily minimum wage.

Querubin Ruiz Timogan, a Bachelor of Secondary Education student at the PLV, said the amount he received will be used for his education.

“Kasi 4th year student ako and I have a lot of priorities. Struggle rin talaga kung wala kang pera na pambili ng school supplies (I am a 4th year student now and I have a lot of priorities. It is really struggle when you have no money to buy school supplies),” Querubin said.

“Ang plano ko ay bumili ng laptop kasi need ko talaga ng accessibility in terms of thesis, and lalo na po sa second semester namin ay magkakaroon kami ng teaching internship kaya kailangang-kailangan ko po talaga siya for making powerpoint presentations and any teaching strategies na mai-integrate ko inside the classroom (My plan is to buy laptop because I really need accessibility in terms of thesis, especially in the second semester, we have teaching internship and for making powerpoint presentations and any teaching strategies that I will integrate inside the classroom),” he added.

Querubin, who was also a tutor during the pilot implementation of the DSWD’s tutoring program last year, said the experiences he gained will be useful to him as a future educator.

Ariane Azel Bialen, who previously served as tutor, chose to become a YDW in this year’s implementation of the program.

“Bilang tutor, na-experience kong maging masaya sa mga estudyante pero ibang-iba po yung sa mga magulang bilang YDW… Sa culminating activity, doon namin na-realize, pati ng mga magulang, na maging masaya sa pamilya nila, lalo na sa mga bata (As tutor, I experienced to be happy with students but it’s different thing with parents. In the culminating event, we realized that event parents were happy in their family),” Bialen said.

Ariane said she will use the cash aid for her education and she will give half to her parents.

“Sobrang laking tulong po ng Tara, Basa! dahil may natutunan kami at pati ang mga magulang (Tara, Basa! is a big help because both parents and students can learn),” Ariane added.

The DSWD’s Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program creates a learning ecosystem, wherein college students will be capacitated and deployed as tutors to help improve the reading proficiency of elementary students who are struggling to read or are non-readers. (PNA)