Tolentino stresses continuous learning, good governance for barangay leaders
Senate Majority Leader Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino on Tuesday urged barangay leaders to value continuous learning in their pursuit of effective governance for the most basic unit in the country’s political system.
Speaking at the national congress of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LNB) in Pasay City on Tuesday, Tolentino pledged to raise the budget allocation next year for the Local Government Academy (LGA), the primary public institution that conducts seminars and trainings for local officials and personnel.
“For 2025, we will endeavor to increase the budget of the LGA so that they could work better in training you,” said the senator, who chairs the finance sub-committee that oversees the proposed budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and its attached agencies, including LGA.
At the same time, Tolentino called on the delegates to take the opportunity to learn from one another by sharing best practices and coordinating similar programs.
“Local governance is not just about executing your role as barangay officials in your respective jurisdiction, but learning from one another,” remarked the senator, himself a former local chief executive, having seved as mayor of Tagaytay City.
“Guimaras can learn from Southern Leyte, Southern Leyte can learn from Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Sur can learn from Lanao del Norte, and so on,” he noted.
Finally, the senator appealed to the barangay leaders to take their oath of office to heart, instead of just treating the latter as a routine document that they sign when they assume their public office.
He suggested to the barangay leaders to regularly refer to their oath, which would remind them of the duties they have sworn to fulfill for their constituents.
