Davao Oriental hailed region’s Gawad Kalasag Champ

DAVAO ORIENTAL, January 5, 2015—For its achievements and excellence in disaster preparedness and management, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Davao Oriental was named Gawad Kalasag Champion, under the Provincial Category, after being adjudged as the Best PDRRMC in Davao Region.

This year’s Gawad Kalasag Regional Awarding Ceremony was held last December 23, 2014 at the Pinnacle Hotel in Davao City that convened all DRRM councils, schools, and volunteer and rescue organizations, among others.

Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon, whose message was read by Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator, Freddie C. Bendulo, said that this recognition was attributed by the complementation of efforts of all stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness and management.

She said that this complementation ‘helped the province gain a more secure footing in the wake of Super Typhoon Pablo and Tropical Depression Agaton, towards the socio-economic development of the Province, as a whole’.

“The good things that we gain out of the past challenges are paid by the lives and limbs of our people.

What we are, who we are and where we are today is the result of their sacrifices; the discipline, the vigilance and level of preparedness that we achieved today are the fruits of their efforts. They are the real ‘Kalasags’ of Davao Oriental. To them I dedicate this award,” she said.

Gov. Malanyaon thanked the men and women of the PDRRMC, local government units, the civilian and military authorities. She also thanked the Office of the Civil Defense for extending assistance that improved not only the province’s capacity on disaster preparedness but also on local coordination, resource mobilization and public communications.

Already on its sixth year as regional champion, the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental is working to ensure resiliency of vulnerable communities and reduction of losses to disaster like floods, storms, earthquake, among others. Aside from that, it is also tackling the very real challenge of climate changeadaptation in communities.

Alongside the Provincial DRRM of Davao Oriental, the Rabat Rocamora Mati Central SPED School of the City of Mati, Davao Oriental was also named Best Prepared School under the Public Urban Elementary category. (PIO DavOr)