CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION — To strengthen the literacy skills of incoming Grade 2 learners and empower parents as home facilitators, the DSWD Field Office 1 – Ilocos Region (DSWD FO 1) Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program (TBTP) conducted a three-day intensive Regional Implementation Workshop (RIW) on 24-26 March 2026 at Ynad’s Hotel and Resort.
Gathering a specialized group of partner educators and program implementers, the activity unified school principals and school focal persons from Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Offices in Pangasinan I and La Union, faculty experts from Pangasinan State University (PSU) – Lingayen and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – Mid La Union Campus (DMMMSU-MLUC), representatives from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWDOs) of Lingayen, Pangasinan and Bauang, La Union, and technical staff from DSWD FO 1’s Centers and Residential Care Facilities (CRCF). The activity aimed to produce a pool of experts among the partners and staff who will lead the upcoming Capacity Building activities for Tutors and Youth Development Workers (TYDWs) across Region 1.
The workshop is filled with the vibrant energy of dedicated focal persons and educators, all united by a single mission: to turn every struggling learner into a confident reader
The three-day workshop featured a series of intensive sessions led by experts from the academe and DSWD. To set the foundation, DSWD FO 1 TBTP Social Welfare Officer II (SWO II) Mary Lovely A. Dela Cruz provided a comprehensive overview of the program. She explained the goals and the framework of the initiative to ensure that all partners are aligned with the mission of the department.
For the tutoring component, Jo Ann Agonos, a faculty from DMMMSU-MLUC, discussed children’s learning styles and the use of differentiated instruction. This was followed by Dr. Winda G. Mazon, Principal IV from DepEd SDO La Union, and Dr. Marissa De Vera, Principal IV from DepEd SDO Pangasinan 1 who shared their expertise on strengthening literacy skills and preparing lesson plans for Filipino and English.
The workshop also focused on the parenting component where SWO II Dela Cruz discussed the foundations of the Nanay-Tatay sessions and the importance of the parent-child relationship in a child’s learning. Following this, Joseph C. Barrera, a faculty of PSU, shared methods on home literacy and the proper ways to facilitate learning for adults. These sessions are designed to help the experts guide the Youth Development Workers in conducting the Nanay-Tatay sessions effectively.
In the final part, DSWD FO 1 TBTP Regional Program Coordinator Pop John G. Selibio led the orientation on the program guidebooks and tools for assessment. These resources serve as the primary guide for the participants in monitoring the progress of the Tutors and Youth Development Workers in their respective communities across Region 1.
Dr. Charito O. Somera, Principal IV of Calumbaya Elementary School in Bauang, La Union, shared “This is not an added duty for us, rather than a help to achieve our mission of making our learners readers.” This unified effort prepared the region for a high-impact rollout, ensuring that every tutor and parent-facilitator is ready to turn struggles into success stories.
Through the symbolic ‘Wall of Commitment’, participants pledged their full support for the program’s rollout in the Region that echoed the program’s core belief “Sa pagbasa, may pag-asa. Kaya Tara, Basa!” Marking a transformative journey for the Ilocos Region and proving that when the community reads together, it rises together.
The TBTP is a developmental and reformatted educational assistance initiative of the DSWD. It is designed to provide socioeconomic opportunities for low-income college students from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) through subsidies to prevent school drop-outs, while simultaneously supporting families with struggling and non-reader elementary learners. ### (DSWD Field Office 1 – Ilocos Region)