CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines — The Samar Convention Center became a hub of inspiration and celebration as the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program held its Culminating Activity yesterday, July 1, 2025, bringing together education and development stakeholders in a shared commitment to literacy and youth empowerment. With the tagline “Sa Pagbasa may Pag-asa, kaya Tara, Basa!,” the event emphasized reading as a powerful pathway to progress.
Together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), SSU played a key role as a commitment to transformative education, service, and innovation since its founding in 1912.
“SSU is honored and glad to have partnered with the Province of Samar, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Education for this noteworthy endeavor,” he said. “The Tara, Basa Tutoring Program can create a positive and lasting impact for Samar, for the Philippines, and even for the world,” President Palencia stated.
Citing data from the Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), which estimates around 18 million Filipinos as functionally illiterate despite completing basic education, Dr. Palencia highlighted the urgency of the initiative. “This program is truly a huge help in bridging the gap. It opens minds and broadens perspectives, leading to the upliftment of lives by producing citizens who are good readers and critical thinkers.”
He commended the tutors, youth development workers, and partners for their dedication, calling them “warriors of education, of reading, of comprehension,” and encouraged them to continue their mission beyond the program. “Let us continue to innovate, to collaborate, and to serve,” he urged.
Joining the program were other key figures who expressed their support, including Dr. Moises D. Labian, Jr., Schools Division Superintendent of the Department of Education in Samar; Hon. Dexter M. Uy, Catbalogan City Mayor; and Hon. Sharee Ann T. Tan, Samar Provincial Governor, whose offices were instrumental in the implementation of the tutoring program.
The Culminating Activity served as both a celebration of the program’s accomplishments and a call to sustain the momentum in advancing literacy in Samar and beyond. As Dr. Palencia concluded, “Together, let’s journey toward a reading Samar and a reading Philippines as we continue to innovate, build, and serve.”