ILOILO City – Ten local government units (LGUs) in Region 6 were recognized as “beyond compliant” during the 23rd Gawad KALASAG Seal and Special Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Humanitarian Assistance.
The national awarding ceremony was held in Metro Manila on Dec. 11, organized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The local disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMCs) of the provinces of Antique and Aklan, and the municipalities of San Jose de Buenavista (Antique), Ibajay and Malay (Aklan), Panit-an (Capiz), Pavia (Iloilo), Iloilo City, and the component cities of Bago and Sipalay in Negros Occidental, were feted.
These LDRRMCs were among the mere 17 percent that have been declared “beyond compliant” after undergoing months of intensive desk and field assessments.
Gawad KALASAG, which stands for “Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing Ang Kaligtasan” (Combat Disasters and Calamities, Self-Efficiency Ensures Safety), is a national search for excellence in disaster risk reduction and management, and humanitarian assistance.
Established in 1998, it is the government’s recognition and award scheme for various stakeholders that promote and implement DRRM, climate change adaptation (CCA) and humanitarian assistance programs aimed at protecting high-risk communities against extreme hazards and enhancing their ability to manage vulnerabilities.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Pavia expressed gratitude for the recognition. It cited Mayor Laurence Anthony Gorriceta for prioritizing DRRM and the Sangguniang Bayan led by Vice Mayor Edsel Gerochi for giving policy support and appropriations.
The operation of 24/7 emergency response services by the MDRRMO, the conduct of trainings to enhance the skills of their personnel, including Barangay DRRMCs, ensuring the proper disbursement of funds, creating maps, infographics, creative video rendering, and the timely release of early warning information, among other initiatives, contributed to this achievement, according to MDRRMO-Pavia.
In the province of Iloilo, only Pavia received the Gawad KALASAG award./PN
