DILG mounts plans for brgy officials who will be elected in November polls
By Chito Chavez
Preparations for the “Barangay Newly Elected Officials (BNEO) program’’ are now being mounted ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled on November 6, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) stated.
Last year, President Ferdinand “Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 12232, which postponed the BSKE to the first Monday of November 2026, and extended the term of office of barangay and SK officials to four years.
Earlier, DILG Local Government Academy (LGA) Assistant Director Daphne Purnell said that plans are being established for the BNEO by preparing the DILG regional offices and partner institutions to be ready to train newly elected barangay officials by January 2027.
“Printed reference materials will also be distributed to barangays and local functionaries,’’ the DILG noted.
“Ito ay isang programa na term-based. Ibig sabihin, magsisimula po sa orientation pero merong mga localized at needs-based training programs din na iko-conduct (This is a term-based program. It means that this starts with orientation but there are also localized and needs-based training programs that will be conducted),’’ Purnel explained.
Likewise, Purnel stated that the BNEO builds on the gains of the LGA’s “NEO PLUS’’ program, which covered all local government units (LGUs) nationwide in 2025.
Further, Purnel pointed out that the “NEO PLUS’’ is a training program for elected local officials aimed at strengthening leadership competencies and policy-making performance to improve service delivery.
For 2026, the LGA said the program will shift toward specialized interventions tailored to the mandates of LGU officials, while closely monitoring the implementation of action plans developed during the 2025 sessions.
The LGA said sustained capacity development remains a priority to ensure barangay officials are prepared to deliver responsive and effective services following the BSKE.