OLONGAPO CITY — Some 150 new barangay officials took one huge step towards good governance with training from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) office in Zambales.

Newly-elected Punong Barangays, Sangguniang Barangay members, and Barangay secretaries from the municipalities of Cabangan, San Felipe, and San Narciso joined the training titled “Elevating Leadership: Knowledge Enhancement for Newly Elected Barangay Officials of the 4th to 6th Class Municipalities” on July 17 at Subic Grand Seas Resort in Barangay Barretto, Olongapo City.

The program is designed to strengthen the capabilities of barangays by enhancing the skills of their officials and staff. The overarching goal is to empower these leaders to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, improve service quality, and promote good governance at the grassroots level.

DILG Provincial Director Martin Porres B. Moral, in his welcome message, emphasized the importance of the training for continuous capacity development for public servants.

“Alam naman natin na ang mga ganitong activity ay patuloy nating ginagawa upang mas lalo kayong mahasa sa inyong mga tungkulin. Kami naman sa DILG ay kaagapay ninyo palagi sa pagpapatupad ng mga proyekto at programa ng ating pamahalaan”, said Moral.

The program covered a range of important topics aimed at enhancing governance and operational efficiency. These include the Barangay Information Management System (BIMS), which focuses on improving records management for local government units; the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays (SGLGB), which emphasizes essential governance indicators; and the continuous accreditation process for barangay-based civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the steps involved in the CSO application accreditation.

The speakers also gave an overview of recent DILG programs and projects, including initiatives such as HAPAG, Barco, and Kalinisan, along with the DILG frontline services for barangay officials such as Certificate of Services Rendered (CSR), Certificate of Incumbency, and Barangay Officials Death and Burial Assistance (BODBA); as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the Paleng-QR cashless transaction system, highlighting its relevance in modern governance.

Moral said this initiative reflects DILG Zambales’ commitment in fostering accountable and transparent governance at the barangay level, paving the way for sustainable community development, and empowerment. 