CRDRRMC honors Baguio City, Sadanga town mayors

Baguio City Mayor Magalong and Sadanga, Mountain Province Mayor Gabino Ganggangan in a photo opportunity with guest of honor Congressman Eric Go Yap and CRDRRMC member agency officials headed by ODC Director Albert Mogol. (RMC/PIA CAR)

'Resilience champs' 

By Carlito C. Dar

BAGUIO CITY -- The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) recognized Mayor Gabino Ganggangan of  Sadanga, Mountain Province and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong  as the region’s exemplary models in strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacities of communities in this time of COVID pandemic.  

The two mayors were honored in the awarding ceremony dubbed as “Panangpadayaw iti Bituen ti Amianan “(Recognizing the Star of the North) awarding and recognition of exemplary models of community leadership in times of COVID was held at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Conference Hall today as part of the observance of National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM).

The Panangpadayaw iti Bituen ti Amianan connotes the North Star as a beacon of hope and light amidst the crisis and the pandemic that the world is facing.

Ganggangan is awarded  for his leadership wherein Sadanga became a model community in the region and a rising local government unit in the country particularly on the adoption of socio – cultural approach and local peace building and security efforts in responding to COVID pandemic.

Magalong, on the other hand, is honored  for his leadership exemplar in DRRM specifically in managing the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences in the city of Baguio thereby promoting resiliency in the Cordilleras. Through his leadership, Baguio City became a model community  not only in the region but in the  country notably on the effective use of Information Technology and police investigation tools in conducting contact tracing activities and COVID – 19 control and prevention measures.

For his support in consistently upkeeping the efforts of the DRRMC and for his advocacy on proper engineering intervention thru disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction projects have helped   uplift the region’s DRRM standards, the CDRRMC also recognized Department of Public Works and Highways -Cordillera  Regional Director Tiburcio Canlas.  

CRDRRMC chairperson and Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Albert Mogol and guest of honor ACT – CIS Partylist and Benguet Legislative Caretaker Congressman Eric Go Yap presented the plaque of recognition to the awardees.

Mogol expressed the CRDRRMC’s salutations to Ganggangan and Magalong, who through the best practices and notable accomplishments they have shown can truly serve as the “Northern star” that can light other communities in Cordillera and in other parts of the country towards the path of disaster- resilient and adaptive communities.

Yap, in his keynote speech, congratulated the awardees as well as all the officials of regional line agencies and the other local chief executives in the region for their efforts in dealing with COVID-19. The Cordillera is truly a bright shining star here in North Philippines as far as dealing with the COVID pandemic is concerned, he said.

For the event, Mogol and Yap also spearheaded the launching of the CRDRRMC “Agdan Ti Laing” (Terrace of Excellence) Coffee Tablebook that showcases the terrace of excellence taken by the Cordillera regional DRRM Council.

Mogol outlined that every page of the book depicts the CRDRRMC’s milestones, shows every challenge  the Council have overcome and indicates the strong solidarity among the council member agencies and DRRM partners/stakeholders in the region.

OCD Administrator and National DRRM Council Executive Director USEC Ricardo Jalad, in his inspirational message via video teleconferencing, congratulated the awardees and the members of the CRDRRMC for their continuing commitment and dedication in pushing for disaster resilient communities in the region.

Jalad also enjoined continuing partnership in pushing for a whole of government and whole of nation approach in overcoming the adversity of the COVID pandemic and other hazards that may threaten local communities. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)