PDRRMO Qualifies in ‘Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction Management’

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) recently made the grade in this year’s KALASAG award, the annual search for excellence in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and humanitarian assistance.

Kalasag stands for Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan.

Formed in 1998 by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), through the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), Kalasag award is the premier annual honoring for outstanding contribution in the fields of disaster risk reduction and management, and humanitarian assistance.

PDRRMO head Baltazar Tribunalo said on Monday that OCD 7 Regional Director Concepcion Ornopia relayed to him that Capitol’s disaster mitigation office earned recognition in the yearly search among the three provinces in Central Visayas.

Kalasag is designed to encourage various stakeholders to participate in shaping and implementing DRRM policies, strategies and programs that aims to protect residents and communities against the adverse effects of calamities.

“It is a kind of award that recognizes how effective the local government unit is. Aside from the province, the measure also goes to the barangay and municipal level,” Tribunalo said.

Kalasag aims to appreciate individuals, groups or institutions which have shown extraordinary courage, heroism and sacrifice in times of emergencies, be it natural or human-induced.

Ornopia, in her message, said that Cebu Province is a KALASAG winner among the three provinces of Central Visayas.

Awarding will be on July in time for the NDRRMC meeting and the observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month.

The award was based on the desktop evaluation and actual validation of entries conducted by the Regional Selection Committee.

The criteria include prevention and mitigation through risk assessment, early warning systems, plans, policies and budget, among others; preparedness in the form of databases, mainstreaming of DRRM programs and capacity-building activities; response; and recovery and rehabilitation.

“It answers the question if we do have strategies on how to address disasters, risks, emergencies, vulnerabilities and how do we maximize the capacities of the people,” Tribunalo said.

Since its inception in 1998, the award has been bestowed to 127 local DRRMCs, 44 NGOs, 27 individuals and 135 groups/institutions. (Chad Cordova Bacolod)