The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Western Visayas, through its Local Government Regional Resource Center, is crafting training modules for the soon-to-be elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials.

“So, currently that’s our intervention here in Region 6 [Western Visayas] in partnership with Iloilo Science and Technology University. This is a project with the Local Government Academy since the development of the module involves not only the implementation in Region 6, but this involves the implementation of the whole training nationwide,” Christian Nagaynay, chief of the DILG Local Government Capability Development Division, said.

Nagaynay, in an interview, said they started with the conduct of a needs assessment among 3,000 respondents who were asked about their needed competencies to deliver and perform their functions.

“For us to test whether the modules we developed are effective and ready for rollout. In case there are changes based on the comments of our barangay captains, then we will incorporate them before its implementation,” he added.

Representatives from the Local Government Academy will join the first run to also check on the module.

The modules covered new developments and policies, like Executive Order 138, or the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch to local government units, mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, Republic Act 6713, and iteration of their functions based on the Local Government Code of 1991.

Nagaynay said they hope to submit the modules in the first week of November to the academy in charge of the distribution and adoption nationwide.

The training is expected to start in the first quarter of next year. (PNA)