Sarangani and its 7 towns bag top Gawad Kalasag awards

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (December 03, 2022) – The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) awarded on December 2 the winners of the 22nd Gawad Kalasag Seal and Special Awards for Excellence in DRRM and Humanitarian Assistance.

The local DRRM councils of Sarangani province and all its seven municipalities were among the recipients of the seal and special awards.

Sarangani province and the municipalities of Kiamba, Maasim, Malungon, and Glan received the highest compliance rating or the “Beyond Compliant” Seal for Excellence from the National DRRMC through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

The municipalities of Alabel, Maitum, and Malapatan, on the other hand, were awarded with the “Fully Compliant” Seal of Excellence.

Rene Punzalan, Sarangani Provincial DRRM officer, said the “efforts of the PDRRMC members and of course the support of the local officials especially sa mga programs and projects natin under sa LDRRM investment plan,” contributed significantly to the achievement of this milestone for Sarangani province. He received the award on behalf of Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao.

Municipal Mayor Zyrex Pacquiao of Maasim, Mayor Salway Sumbo Jr. of Malapatan, Alabel Municipal Administrator Lilibeth Salarda, and local DRRM officers and representatives of the municipal LGUs also graced the awarding ceremony.

Based on the guidelines, Beyond Compliant LGUs are those that got an assessment rating of 2.5 to 3 while Fully Compliant LGUs are those that received a rating of 1.5 to 2.49.

Malungon Quick Response Team also bagged a special award on Government Emergency Management and Response Team. They also got the highest compliance rating of 2.88 among all LGUs in the region.

The Gawad KALASAG (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) Seal for Excellence in DRRM and Humanitarian Assistance is a performance assessment mechanism for all local government units in the execution of provisions under Section 11 and 12 of RA 10121, specifically on the institutionalization of LDRRM councils, LDRRM offices, including other policy issuances such as the reporting of allocation and utilization of the LDRRM fund.

These awards, said Dir. Raylindo S. Aniñon, OCD XII Regional Director and RDRRMC XII Chairperson, “shows that the local DRRM councils under the leadership of their local chief executives, are vigorously implementing the DRRM programs, projects, and activities, and continuously enhancing the capacities of the communities in adapting and implementing measures to reduce the vulnerabilities and risks to hazards.”

Aniñon, along with other officials from the RDRRMC and OCD, led the awarding of plaques to the 46 recipient LGUs in Region 12 during the awarding ceremony held at Greenleaf Hotel in General Santos City. (Jori Mae R. Samillano & photos by Jake Narte/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

###