LA TRINIDAD Benguet – Winners of the 18th National Gawad KALASAG for Calendar Year 2016 were revealed through a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) resolution signed by members of the National Selection Committee (NSC), Civil Defense Administrator USEC Ricardo Jalad, and Interior and Local Government OIC Secretary Catalino Cuy on May 15, 2017.
More than 50 winners under different categories were recognized for their outstanding efforts and initiatives on disaster risk reduction and humanitarian assistance.
Among the winners are two towns in Benguet. La Trinidad Municipal DRRM Council was named second best under 1st to 3rd Class category while Tublay Municipal DRRM Council was ranked first under 4th to 6th Class category.
Cash prizes and plaques of recognition will be given to winners – P100,000.00 for Heroic Act and first placers, Php75,000.00 for second placers, and P50,000.00 for third placers.
Gawad KALASAG, which stands for Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan, is the country’s recognition scheme for various stakeholders that design and implement DRRM programs to protect high-risk communities against hazards.
The awarding ceremony is tentatively scheduled on June 8, 2017.
By Ivy Carasi