• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Negros Island Region (RDRRMC) honored 23 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental for their outstanding disaster risk management practices, in a ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Friday, April 10.
Prior to the awarding rites, the local DRRM offices of Sipalay, San Carlos, Bago and Binalbagan shared their respective best practices.
Office of Civil Defense-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III, who sits as the RDRRMC chair, and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II, representing Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, led the distribution of plaques of appreciation to the outstanding local disaster councils.
Among the Gawad Kalasag gold awardees for “Beyond Compliant” were the provincial government of Negros Occidental, municipalities of Binalbagan, Isabela, and Manapla, component cities of San Carlos, Sipalay, La Carlota, Talisay, and Bago.
The Gawad Kalasag silver awardees for “Fully Compliant” were the municipalities of Magalona, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Hinobaan, Ilog, and Moises Padilla, highly-urbanized Bacolod City, component cities of Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Sagay, Silay and Victorias.
With the increased restiveness of Kanlaon Volcano, Sermeno said the RDRRMC-NIR also heightened its preparations
The RDRRMC has organized sub-clusters for preparedness, logistics, emergency, telecommunications, and search and rescue, he added. | GB
