DRRM AWARDS. Key officials in Eastern Visayas with some "Gawad Kalasag" awardees in the region during the awarding ceremony at Oriental Leyte on Wednesday (Dec. 20, 2023). The Office of Civil Defense has urged 80 percent of local governments in Eastern Visayas to work on receiving the highest recognition for disaster risk reduction and management. (PNA photo by Roel Amazona)
PALO, Leyte – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has urged 80 percent of local governments in Eastern Visayas to work on receiving the highest recognition for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).
In an interview on the sidelines of the 2023 “Gawad Kalasag” awarding at the Oriental Leyte here, OCD regional director Lord Byron Torrecarion said that although more areas received the DRRM award this year, the number of local governments is only 20 percent of the total in the region.
“We have been going around the region to encourage our provinces, cities, and municipalities to comply with the requirements to earn the award. Our Gawad Kalasag caravan also provides technical assistance and guidance to our local governments,” he told the Philippine News Agency.
Torrecarion said they are the only OCD regional office that holds caravans as a proactive measure to encourage wider participation in the search for outstanding areas for DRRM.
The region has 149 local governments, including six provinces, seven cities and 136 towns.
Of the total, only 29 areas earned the 2023 “Gawad Kalasag” award for being beyond and fully compliant, representing 20 percent of the total.
Of the 29 awardees, there is one province, two cities and 26 municipalities.
Recognized as beyond compliant are Can-avid, Eastern Samar; Catarman, Northern Samar; and Southern Leyte province.
Fully compliant local governments are the towns of Arteche, Balangiga, General Macarthur, Guiuan and Maydolong in Eastern Samar; Tabango, Ormoc City, and San Miguel in Leyte; Gamay, Laoang, Lope De Vega, Palapag, San Antonio and San Roque in Northern Samar.
Also awarded are Marabut and Tarangnan in Samar; Bontoc, Liloan, Limasawa, Maasin City, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan, Silago, Sogod and Hinundayan in Southern Leyte.
In 2022, only eight local governments received the “Gawad Kalasag” award.
Kalasag is the Filipino term for "shield," used by early Filipinos to protect themselves from enemies' attacks or harmful animals.
Gawad Kalasag was conceived to protect high-risk communities against hazards by encouraging the participation of various stakeholders in designing and implementing DRRM programs.
To qualify for the award, entries must have demonstrated effectiveness and innovation in disaster risk reduction and management, community participation, sustainability and replicability. (PNA)
