BAGUIO CITY – Four entries of the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council are vying for the national Gawad Kalasag search.
Regional winners the Municipality of La Trinidad ( Best Local DRRM Council); Baguio-Benguet Public Information Civic Action Group (Best Volunteer Organization); Baguio City Emergency Medical Service (best Government Emergency Response Management and University of the Cordilleras (Best School Private Urban Category) were conferred with awards by the Office of Civil Defense in various venues recently.
OCD-CAR regional director Andrew Alex Uy said the formal awarding of plaque of recognition is projected for the Cordillera regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council meeting next year as promotion for the 2015 GK Search.
The annual search Gawad Kalasag aims to recognize outstanding performance of local disaster councils, civil society organizations, schools, hospitals and other major stakeholders in promoting and implementing significant DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation programs and innovation.
Also recognized in the annual search are the heroic acts of individuals, groups or institution during natural and human induced disasters. Categories in the annual Gawad Kalasag include Province/Municipal/City DRRMCs; Barangay DRRM Committees; Civil Society Organization; Peoples Organization; Government Emergency Response Management; Schools; Early Learning Centers; Hospitals; Heroic Act and Special Recognition.
In CAR first placers in the regional search will be receiving P 50,000 from the OCD and a plaque of recognition while other local entries will be receiving special citation or plaques of recognition. First Placers in the National Level will be receiving P 100,000 and a plaque of recognition.
Kalasag is a Filipino term for shield used by Filipinos as means of protection from attack of enemies or harmful animals. Relatively, Gawad KALASAG KAlamidad at Sakuna LAbanan, SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan) was conceived to encourage participation from various stakeholders in crafting and implementing DRRM program aimed in protecting or shielding high risk communities against hazards.
Since 1998, the Gawad KALASAG has been conferred by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to different organizations, individuals, and groups as recognition to those who have shown excellent practices in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM). But not limiting itself to the any sector, the Gawad KALASAG is also bequeathed to communities, LGUs, schools and other stakeholders for their best customs in DRRM.
All regional entries are required to submit relevant evidential documents in chronological order in accordance with the standard checklist provided by the GK search committee. A table top evaluation of all entries was conducted last March 24 with entries passing the minimum average of 80 by the Regional Selection Committee.
A field validation was also conducted by the selection committee last March 26 validated thru an ocular visit and interview. Entries who qualified and passed the two evaluations are then presented to the selection board and are forwarded to the National Selection Committee as the Regional Entries for the Gawad Kalasag 2014.
By Dexter A. See
