MALASIQUI, Feb. 17 -- About 3,000 youths in the Ilocos Region are targeted to benefit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) "Tara, Basa!" (Let's Read) tutoring program this year.

DSWD 1 (Ilocos Region) Director Marie Angela Gopalan, in an interview on Monday, said the program aims to address foundational literacy gaps of young children while providing cash-for-work opportunities to students who work as tutors and youth development workers, who will receive daily minimum wage for two- to three-hour tutorials and parenting sessions for 20 days.

"The tutor-to-learner ratio of 1:5 for tutoring sessions enhanced learners' literacy skills, and a youth development worker-to-parent ratio of 1:10 for Nanay-Tatay sessions...