• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is set to confer again the Gawad Kalasag Seal of Excellence and Special Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance to the Province of Negros Occidental.
The awarding ceremony will be held in Iloilo City on Dec. 11.
In a letter addressed to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, DRRMC-Western Visayas Director Raul Fernandez said that the 24th Gawad Kalasag National and Regional Awarding Ceremony will be a celebration of the exceptional work and dedication of individuals and organizations, who have made significant strides in disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation and humanitarian assistance programs.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said this is the first time that Negros Occidental got a “Beyond Compliant” rating for Gawad Kalasag.
Last year, Negros Occidental and eight of the province’s local government units (LGUs) were named national awardees for the 23rd Gawad Kalasag Seal and Special Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance, as adjudged by the NDRRMC through the National Gawad Kalasag Committee.
The NDRRMC awards the Gawad Kalasag Seal to LGUs that adhere to the standards for the establishment and functionality of the Local DRRMCs and Local DRRM Offices as mandated under Republic Act No. 10121, also known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
Derived from the Filipino term for “shield,” Kalasag historically served as a protective barrier against adversaries and harmful elements.
Correspondingly, the recognition was conceived to function as a shield for high-risk communities, fostering the active engagement of various stakeholders in designing and implementing effective DRRM programs. | GB
