By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag City—The city government here began the training of new barangay officials on September 11, 2018.
Officially called Barangay Newly Elected Official (BNEO) training, it is set for three days.
The first training ran from September 11-13; the second training is on September 17-19 and 21; and the final training is on September 21 and 24-25.
City interior and local government director Andres Vendiola said the city government broke the trainings into three batches to accommodate all the new 720 barangays officials and Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons, and 160 barangay secretaries and treasurers.
The first training involved 26 barangays.
For the first day of the training, discussions include an overview of the BNEO for GREAT Barangays program; barangay government administration; decentralization and governance; and the Katarungang Pambarangay.
On second day, they tackle the barangay development council composition and functions; essentials of governance administration; legislative enactment; barangay development planning; barangay finance administration and the barangay budget.
On the last day, topics are the national program thrusts on violence against women and children; peace and order; climate change and disaster; seal of good local governance for barangay; public accountability: code of conduct and ethical standards; crafting barangay agenda for governance and development; and the program synthesis and integration.
The BNEO training is the Dept. of Interior and Local Government’s flagship training program for barangay officials and a term-based integrated capacity development intervention for elected barangay officials geared towards the enhancement of their competencies to attain the needed synergy to transform them into champions of excellence in basic services delivery and bring the government closer to the people.
Knowing that the barangay being the basic political unit is always in the forefront of local development undertakings in the country.
Mr. Vendiola therefore, said that the barangays are collectively the partners of the national government to respond to development challenges especially in the effective and efficient service delivery to the community.
Mr. Vendiola hopes that the BNEO training will assist all the participants perform their functions as national government’s partner in nation building.