MANILA - The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has announced a training program for around 42,000 village chiefs and newly elected officials nationwide. The initiative, titled Grassroots Renewal and Empowerment for Accountable and Transparent (GREAT) Barangays, aims to enhance their leadership skills and governance capabilities.
According to Philippines News Agency, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos stated that the program, to be conducted through the Local Government Academy (LGA), is designed to prepare barangay officials for leadership challenges. The training will commence with a basic orientation course covering fundamental aspects of barangay governance, including development planning, budgeting, public ethics, and accountability. Additionally, GREAT will provide technical assistance in specialized courses focusing on governance, citizen participation, and performance management. The program will also discuss the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays (SGLGB) extensively. The schedule for these trainings is yet to be released by the DILG. To ensure widespread participation, a multi-stakeholder approach will be employed, partnering with the Liga ng mga Barangay and other offices at regional and sub-regional levels. Abalos emphasized the importance of aligning infrastructure initiatives with community development, advising local officials to focus on projects that cater to genuine community needs. He highlighted Iloilo Province's Zero Open Defecation Movement as an exemplary project that improved sanitation and quality of life across 1,721 barangays, demonstrating the impact of well-planned local infrastructure projects.