This qualitative single case study explored the experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms of four pioneer Grade 11 Social Studies teachers implementing Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino under the MATATAG curriculum during the 2025–2026 pilot implementation in Tacloban City. Guided by street-level bureaucracy, educational change, and teacher agency frameworks, data from semi-structured interviews, reflexive journals, and lesson logs were analyzed using thematic analysis. The implementation journey revealed three core themes, an Abrupt Curriculum Transition forcing educators to navigate unguided operational boundaries, deep Pedagogical Commitment sustaining student-centered workflows, and Growth Through Necessity transforming teachers into digital content creators. Structurally, educators faced severe operational barriers, specifically a Resource Vacuum marked by a total absence of official materials, a Lack of Formal Training, and a Heavy Workload and Logistics environment where dense administrative duties and unpacking broad competencies for diverse learners increased preparation hours significantly. To maintain daily instruction, these pioneer teachers relied on grassroots coping mechanisms, using Digital Resourcefulness via open-source data and artificial intelligence, constructing horizontal Peer Collaboration networks, and practicing dynamic Pedagogical Improvisation through interactive activities. Based on these insights, the study proposes policy recommendations prioritizing shared online databases, protected collaborative planning windows, subject-specific training, and systematic instructional scaffolding. The study concludes that a clear policy-practice gap transforms pioneer teachers into the primary, uncompensated support system keeping the curriculum alive, normalizing hidden labor and accelerating professional burnout. Finally, future research should quantitatively correlate teacher-curated digital resources with student outcomes, while qualitatively exploring how learners navigate textbook-free environments.