In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push for safer communities, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched a handbook for village security personnel locally called “barangay tanod” to reinforce their duties as community peacekeepers.
“With this holistic guidebook, our barangay tanods are positioned to be more than just auxiliary enforcers; they are also community peace-builders, rights advocates, and development partners,” DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a statement.
The DILG, through collaboration with the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) and the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), enhanced its previous manual on Barangay Tanod Skills Enhancement to publish a comprehensive reference on the technical and ethical foundation of every barangay tanod.
Under the Local Government Code of 1991, Sangguniang Barangays are authorized to organize barangay tanods for assistance in community-based mechanisms for peace and order in the communities.
This initiative reinforces their enhanced role in the communities as first responders, peace-builders, rights advocates, and community development partners.
“In the updated handbook accessible at https://bit.ly/2025TanodGuidebook, instructions for barangay tanods as first responders were improved to become effective agents in providing aid and support in procedures undertaken at a crime scene. It also includes their roles in upholding the laws concerning gender and development, child protection, cultural sensitivity, and human rights protection,” the statement read.
With the recent issuance of Memorandum Circular No. 2025-072 on the deployment of barangay tanods to public schools, the handbook is instrumental in providing institutional support as they meet the expectations as the government’s extended arm to sustain peace and order.
In addition to this initiative, the DILG and the JSCC conducted the Barangay Tanod Skills Enhancement Training to capacitate the security forces in the four justice zones of Angeles City, Balanga City, Calamba City, and Tagaytay City.
