The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Provincial Government signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Tara Basa! Tutoring Program at the Balin Sambali in the town of Iba, Zambales on 4 March 2026.

According to Governor Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program is the reformatted educational assistance initiative of the DSWD. He added that the program aims to provide proper educational guidance to the Zambaleño students and their parents.

“Target nitong maabot ngayong 2026 sa buong Region III ang humigit-kumulang 4,284 learners, 4,284 magulang, 857 tutors, at 428 Youth Development Workers (YDWs),” he cited.

Ebdane signed the MOA along with DSWD Field Office 3 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Armont C. Pecina, and President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU) Vice President for Research Development Dr. Marlon James Dedicatoria.

OIC-DC Kristiane L. Romero of the Program Support Division and Concurrent OIC of the Program Implementation Division of the TBTP-NPMO; OIC-DC Marites D. Liwanag of the Innovations Division; Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane of Botolan; OIC-ASDS William Roderick R. Fallorin, CESO VI of SDO-Zambales; Ms. Nadya T. Apostol, OIC-PSWDO-Zambales were all present during the signing ceremony.

The governor hopes that the implementation of the program will be successful for the development of the students in the province. He added that the Provincial Government and the DSWD are here to help in providing quality education to the students and mold them into productive Zambaleños in the future.

Launched in 2023, the said developmental and community-based social protection program aims to help improve the reading proficiency of elementary students while providing financial support to college students through a cash-for-work scheme.