BAGUIO CITY – Two schools and two Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) from the Cordillera Administrative Region are expected to receive recognition as 19th Gawad KALASAG winners in the national level.
The National Selection Committee (NSC) of the Search for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Assistance releases on August 11, 2017, the list of finalists for the 19th Gawad KALASAG.
Among the 56 finalists from 16 different regions are four (4) institutions from the Cordilleras namely University of the Cordilleras (UC) qualified under Higher Education Institution category, and first-time entrant Lepanto National High School under Public-Rural school category.
LDRRMCs will also undergo the second phase of validation specifically the Municipality of La Trinidad in Benguet vying for Best Municipal DRRMC in the 1st to the 3rd class category, while Mountain Province is a finalist under Provincial DRRMC category.
These four institutions initially recognized as regional winners. Their entries highlighting their efforts and initiatives on disaster risk reduction and management were their tickets to qualify in the national search.
Although these 56 finalists which garnered the highest ratings or passed the minimum required rating of 80% are already guaranteed national spots, ranking from 1st to 3rd place are yet to be identified through field validations which are scheduled for September and October this year.
The awarding ceremony at the national level is set this November.
By Franzes Ivy Carasi