With a new set of Barangay officials set to assume next month, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Año says that trainings for barangay newly-elected officials (BNEO) should be held strictly “on-site”.
“Consistent with the austerity thrusts of President Duterte, training programs for BNEOs should be conducted strictly on site within the city or municipality to ensure judicious use of local government resources,” says Año.
In the event that there are no training facilities in the municipality, he says, trainings can be done within the province or within the region to ensure cost-effective utilization of funds, promote efficiency and value-for-money in the government.
“We want our barangay governments to start on the right footing which is why we insist on promoting efficiency in the conduct of the GREAT program on-site. We also encourage our BNEOs to take part in the said program that will prepare them in actively fulfilling their roles in development and governance,” says Año.
The DILG Chief says GREAT or Grassroots Renewal and Empowerment for Accountable and Transparent (GREAT) Barangays program will cover “newly-elected” barangay officials for 2018-2020. Newly-elected officials are not only officials elected for the first time but those that have been re-elected for either the second or the third time. GREAT intends to let BNEOs gain appreciation of their mandated tasks and responsibilities; and show improvements in their personal, managerial and leadership skills and manifest the tenets of good local governance.
DILG Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that the GREAT program also seeks for barangay governments to show measurable positive performance towards good governance; and demonstrate and contribute to the desired public administration values such as transparency, accountability, integrity and citizen participation.
He said that the program takes into account contemporary conditions which impacts barangay roles and contribution to development such as its role in contributing to the achievement of both local and national objectives for development in relation to Ambisyon Natin 2040 and the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.
Malaya emphasized the role of barangays in the fight against illegal drugs and in the promotion of public safety and societal law and order; improving barangay’s capacity for adaptation to and mitigation risks brought by climate change; and the role of barangays in deepening decentralization and participatory government, and a renewed emphasis on the importance of barangays in democratic governance at the community level, among others, are also key principles guiding the GREAT program.
The GREAT Components
GREAT is a “term-based” capacity development program that will allow BNEOs to be trained within their two-year term starting June 2018 completing all five components of the GREAT program depending on the component participant.
Component A or Ensuring Smooth Transition prepares BNEOs in assuming their positions after elections promoting transparency and accountability right at the start of the term, through a smooth turnover of barangay documents, properties and accountabilities and will be participated by all barangay officials.
Jumpstarting Local Governance or Component B has two sub-components dealing with laying the foundations for GREAT barangays, and the planning and preparation of the Barangay Development Plan and the Barangay Capacity Development Agenda with all barangay officials and members of the Barangay Based Institutions (BBIs) as participants.
Component C or Sharpening the Saw is the “deepening” component of the program in which barangay officials are enabled to select and deepen their knowledge and skills on barangays governance with four broad outcome expectations for local governments namely Business-Friendly and Competitive LGUs, Environment Protective and Disaster Resilient LGUs, Socially Protective and Safe LGUs, and Transparent, Accountable, Participative and Effective LGUs to be participated in by all barangays officials, BBIs and other organizations.
Component D or Looking Forward to Better Governance through Citizenship Building which focuses on the process of engaging with the citizens and members of the community where qualified barangays officials are expected to participate.
Enhancing Barangay Performance or Component E focuses on the institutionalization of a performance measurement and awards system for all barangays.
The DILG through the Local Government Academy, the National Barangay Operations Office, the DILG Regional and Field offices, and the City/Municipal Governments shall implement the program in partnership with Liga ng mga Barangay, Local Resource Institution and select national government agencies.
