The Department of the Interior and Local Government–Marikina Field Office (DILG Marikina) successfully conducted the MarLINKS: Capacity Building Series—Nexus for Knowledge and Diversity on October 23, 2025, at Barangay San Roque, Marikina City, gathering Punong Barangays, Barangay Secretaries, and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Secretaries for a day of collaborative learning and skill enhancement.

MarLINKS, short for Marikina Linking Institutions for Knowledge and Sustainability, is an initiative under the Sub-Local Governance Resource Center (Sub-LGRC) strengthening program of DILG Marikina. It seeks to promote a culture of continuous learning, interconnectivity, and innovation among local governance institutions. By linking knowledge resources and experiences, the program fosters more resilient, informed, and empowered communities.

In his message, DILG Marikina City Director Raymond Gerard E. de Asis, CESE, commended the active participation of barangay functionaries and underscored the importance of knowledge sharing in sustaining local development.

“Through MarLINKS, we are not only building competencies but also strengthening connections among local institutions. The Sub-LGRC allows us to create a network of learning communities—where every barangay becomes both a learner and a knowledge sharer in advancing good governance,” City Director de Asis mentioned.

Anchored on the theme “Nexus for Knowledge and Diversity,” the activity aimed to enhance the competencies of barangay officials and secretariat members in key areas of governance, communication, and event management, enabling them to perform their roles with greater efficiency and professionalism.

The day’s sessions covered a wide range of topics designed to build practical and leadership capacities among participants, including the (1) Executive Course on the Management of the Dead and Missing (MDM) by LGOO IV Conrad T. Oropilla, (2) Protocols and Decorum in the Government by Cluster Head & LGOO VII Christiane R. Millabas, (3) Creating Powerful Presentations by Cluster Head & LGOO VII Czarina G. Del Espiritu Santo, (4) Social Media Protocols for Barangay Officials and Crafting Effective Press Releases by LGOO V and Regional Information Officer Ronald R. Portales, as well as a workshop on (5) Correspondence and Technical Writing by Cluster Head Millabas and LGOO VI Veronidia D.C. Catapang.

The Sub-LGRC strengthening initiative represents DILG-NCR’s broader effort to decentralize learning, institutionalize knowledge management, and promote sustainable capacity building at the grassroots level. By integrating education, collaboration, and innovation, DILG Marikina continues to position itself as a hub for local governance excellence.

Ultimately, MarLINKS: Nexus for Knowledge and Diversity reflects DILG Marikina’s unwavering commitment to empowering barangay leaders, bridging information, collaboration, and sustainability to shape a more capable, responsive, and people-centered local governance landscape.