MP bags reg’l Gawad Kalasag award; lands top three nationwide

By Erwin S. Batnag

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Once again, Mountain Province was awarded the Best Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) in Cordillera and was the only council in the region that passed regional assessment which made it to the national level for the 2019 Cordillera Gawad KALASAG (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) Awards.

Mountain Province PDRRMC received the province’s National Gawad KALASAG award at the Philippine International Convention Center, Manila on Dec 6, landing top three nationwide.

Earlier, Mountain Province PDRRMC chairman and Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr., with Vice Gov. Francis O. Tauli, PDRRMO Edward F. Chumawar, Jr. and other PDRRMO staff, received plague of recognition from the Office of the Civil Defense – CAR officials at the Crown Legacy Hotel, Baguio City on Nov. 29.

Other stakeholders from the province also received the Gawad KALASAG award: Mount Data Elementary School (1st place), Cagubatan Elementary School (2nd place), Tadian Central School (consolation), New Lubon Elementary School (consolation) were recognized under the Public Elementary School category. Banguitan National High School (3rd place) under the Public High School Category and Bontoc Municipal Fire Station (consolation) were also recognized.

Lacwasan attributed the award to collective efforts of council members and stakeholders who worked hard and committed their time and effort for improvement of DRRM programs in the province.

“We are very happy and proud that with the provincial government’s limited resources, we were able to compete with other provinces. For the previous years, we have proven that our disaster and risk reduction management is efficient and effective. On top of the strong support from all stakeholders, the spirit of volunteerism and “Og-ogfo” or “Bayanihan” which are embedded in the culture of the people amplifies our resilience and unity as people of Mountain Province,” the governor said.

For the past years, Mountain Province’s PDRRMC has been a consistent regional Gawad KALASAG awardee under the Best Provincial DRRM Council Category and in 2017, Mountain Province landed third place in the Gawad KALASAG national search.

This time, Mountain Province is again one of top three finalists in the 2019 Gawad KALASAG national search along with Quirino and Sorsogon.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Ramon T. Ruiz of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who graced the regional Gawad KALASAG awarding ceremony as guest speaker, expressed gratitude to all awardees for their commitment in ensuring a safe, climate change-adaptive, resilient and progressive communities.

“Let us all continue our outstanding performances and acts of heroism even before, during or after disasters or emergencies and continue to render exemplary contribution in promoting and implementing significant climate change adaptation programs and innovations that would build a long-term community resiliency,” Ruiz said.

According to him, Gawad KALASAG remains as the country’s premiere annual award that is given to various stakeholders in recognition of their design and implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction Management Programs that protects and shields high risk communities against hazards and render them worth capable of addressing their vulnerabilities and coping from disasters.

“More that an institutional legacy, it (Gawad KALASAG) has become a platform to save lives and to educate and train others. Local preparedness, holistic response and volunteerism are among the outcomes of the development of Gawad KALASAG,” Ruiz said.