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Over 11,000 participants across Central Visayas benefited from the recent Regional Training of Trainers (RTOT) on Enhanced Participatory Barangay Development Planning (EPBDP) and Municipal Rollout Training of the Barangay Development Planning (BDP) that were recently conducted on different occasions by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII.

Participants engage in discussions during the three-day Municipal Rollout Training of the Barangay Development Planning (DBP).

A total of 10,803 individuals from 111 municipalities in the region have participated in the three-day Municipal Rollout Training organized by the Department through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program. The RTOT on EPBDP, which was conducted for five days each of the three batches, was attended by 274 individuals at a hotel in Cebu City.

The BDP training aims to strengthen the implementation of enhanced participatory local governance planning and capacitate the participants in the integration of Community-Driven Development (CDD), particularly the use of Participatory Situation Analysis (PSA) tools, in the local planning process in the course of the enhancement of the barangay development planning process.

The training for each municipality engages participants through discussions and workshops on the principles of BDP, the different steps to take in creating a good BDP, the different technical tools that can be utilized in formulating the BDP, and many more.

The goal of the activity is to come up with a Barangay Development Plan (BDP) that goes through a well-thought-out process that truly aims to address the priority needs of the barangay on the ground.

The RTOT on EPBDP was attended by the Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO), Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Local Government Academy (LGA), National Program Management Office (NPMO), Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU)-planning officer, and Regional Project Management Office (RPMO).

Meanwhile, the municipal rollout training was also attended by participants from the target municipalities of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. These include barangay captains, secretaries, and treasurers; people’s organizations; municipal planning and development coordinators (MPDC); MLGOO; and the RPMO, or Area Coordinating Team (ACT).

The majority of the participants in the Municipal Rollout Training came from Bohol, with 4,774 in 45 municipalities, followed by Cebu Province with 3,873. Negros Oriental and Siquijor also have 1,645 and 511 municipal participants, respectively.

Zosilito Ligutom, MLGOO in Maria town in Siquijor Province, noted the difference between the previous and the latest modules in the implementation of the BDP. He said the latest module makes it easier for the barangay officials to formulate an enhanced BDP, considering that there is a legal basis as to why they should create one and its importance. The previous module, according to him, was not that specific in terms of content, particularly in the discussion of the conduct of training guides at the barangay level.

First batch of participants during the Regional Training of Trainers on EPBDP conducted by DSWD Field Office VII, through KALAHI-CIDSS.

Ruben Boybanting, EnP., who is a Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) and Municipal Coordinating Team or Area Coordinator (MCT/AC) of KALAHI-CIDSS in the Municipality of Guindulman in Bohol, also mentioned that the enhanced BDP has opened wide opportunities to ensure that a lot of sectors in the barangay will be represented and could contribute to creating a comprehensive plan. He said it is important for the BDP to be enhanced through the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, making it more participative, as this will serve as a stepping stone or framework in which all the programs and projects in the barangay will now be based.

Boybanting, who expressed gratitude for the RTOT that he attended, said he immediately created a plan on how to roll out the workshop to the barangay officials so that they may be able to come up with a more comprehensive and inclusive BDP.

Mary Ann Aparece-Verga, MLGOO in Loay, Bohol, said the RTOT was a very good experience for her because the CDD approach to the entire BDP process was a good idea as it promotes community empowerment.

“And this is what the DILG wants to achieve. We wanted to create more and more empowered local communities to make us active partners in national development,” said Vergara, adding that the CDD approach requires community participation, such as civil society organizations, the private sector, and other champions, to work closely together with barangay officials, which will lead to achieving excellence in local governance. ###

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