With the new Innovations Programs gearing for its full implementation by 2025, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is ensuring that all plans are in place, especially for the Pilot implementations of its new programs. With this, DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations, Usec. Eduardo Punay personally made the rounds to be with the different stakeholders on November 28, 2024, to discuss the preparations for the Tara Basa Program, which will now be piloted in Caraga Region.

Usec. Punay, together with Tara Basa Program Director Elma Salamat, and Pag-abot Program Director Marilyn Moral, met with representatives from the Local Government Units of Dapa and General Luna, Surigao del Norte (Siargao) – which are considered for the pilot areas for the Tara Basa Program in the region. Also present during the orientation meeting are partners from the Department of Education Caraga, and the Surigao del Norte State University – Del Carmen Campus.

Usec. Punay expressed the Agency’s eagerness to expand the implementation of its Tara Basa Program, so that more underprivileged college students will benefit from the tutoring program, and at the same time, help incoming grade 2 students in their ability to read.

Aside from the orientation meeting, Usec. Punay, together with his team from the Innovations Group, visited the ongoing Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program redemption in General Luna and Dapa. Usec. Punay reminded the beneficiaries to make the best out of their learnings from the program, especially in preparing healthy and nutritious food for the members of the family. He reminded everyone that the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will continue to implement programs that will benefit the Filipino people. And that what the beneficiaries must do to show gratitude is to follow the guidelines and the conditionality of the said programs.