The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) conferred the Gawad Kalasag to a total of 21 Local Government Units and 52 other organizations and individuals who showed exemplary dedication and support to the country’s bid for national resilience, in the awarding ceremony held on December 6, 2019 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
Now on its 21st year, the Gawad Kalasag is the NDRRMC’s annual Search for Excellence in DRRM and Humanitarian Assistance, which recognizes the outstanding contributions of Local Government DRRM Councils, as well as the various managers and practitioners from government agencies and institutions, civil society organizations, private sectors, and individuals who advocate and implement rights-based, gender-responsive and inclusive DRRM and climate change adaptation programs. As one of the Council’s interagency convergence program, Gawad Kalasag, which promotes volunteerism and heroism, is founded upon the National DRRM Council’s framework that aims to make communities safer, climate change adaptive and disaster resilient.
Cited for its dynamic and inclusive planning; determination in enhancing the resilience of vulnerable sectors; and strengthening its stakeholders’ capacity to build disaster-resilient communities, the Province of Quirino topped this year’s awardees for the Best Provincial DRRM Council, while Quezon City was hailed the Best Highly Urbanized City. Also in the list of the Best Local DRRM Councils are the city of San Fernando, Pampanga for the Independent/Component City DRRMC, the municipalities of La Trinidad, Benguet and Saguday, Quirino for the 1st to 3rd Class and 4th to 6th Class Municipal DRRMCs, respectively, and the Barangay DRRM Committees of Naggasican for urban category and Buenavista for rural category, both from Santiago City, Isabela.
Local and national government hospitals, early learning and higher learning institutions, and civil society and volunteer organizations were also recognized and conferred with the award.
Various individuals and groups were also cited for heroism and notable acts of humanity by helping fellow Filipinos not only during disasters but also in the prevention and mitigation and preparedness phases of DRRM. Most notable of this is the 45 year-old construction worker Mr. Regalado Francisco of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, who rushed to save a child from impending death when the latter fell into strong floodwater currents during the heavy and continuous raining brought about by Tropical Storm Usman in December 2018. Oblivious of his own safety and injuring his right leg, Mr Regalado was able to bring the child out of the water and into safety, thereby making him deserving of Gawad Kalasag for Heroic Acts – Individual Category.
The Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits (EcoWEB) was also hailed the best Civil Society Organization owing to its valuable efforts in strengthening the Survivor & Community-Led Response as an innovative approach in responding to crises, as well as adopting a participatory and consultative approach in capacitating communities to become disaster-resilient while promoting social unity.
Other organizations that were given special recognition were the Tzu Chi Foundation and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), among others.
Winners of this prestigious award go through a tedious selection process, which include desk evaluation of entries, validation through field visits, and eventually, the deliberation of winners by the National Selection Committee (NSC) that is composed of representatives from the National DRRM Council member agencies. For this year, they evaluated and validated 172 entries, with a total of 73 winners from 26 different categories.
Present during the event and presenting the awards were NDRRMC Chairperson and National Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense Administrator USEC Ricardo B. Jalad, and representatives of other member agencies such as but not limited to USEC Bernardo C. Florece Jr. of the Department of Interior and Local Government and USEC Adoracion M. Navarro of the National Economic Development Authority.
The following is the complete list of winners for this year’s Gawad Kalasag:
GAWAD KALASAG FOR HEROIC ACT
INDIVIDUAL |
AWARD |
Regalado Francisco – REGION MIMAROPA |
Winner |
GROUP |
AWARD |
18th Special Forces Company – REGION MIMAROPA |
Winner |
Tactical Operations Group 3 PAF – REGION 3 |
Winner |
The Gallant 31 of the Ilocos Sur PDRRMC – REGION 1 |
Winner |
GAWAD KALASAG FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION
INDIVIDUAL |
AWARD |
Mr. Hilario M. Olivo, Jr. – REGION 1 |
Winner |
Engr. Joseph Salvador Tan – REGION 2 |
Winner |
Pauline Ann M. Lamela – REGION 6 |
Winner |
Ben Frederick R. Rodriguez – REGION7 |
Winner |
Dr. Arturo G. Valero – REGION 12 |
Winner |
TSG Jake P Belino PAF – REGION CAR |
Winner |
GROUP |
AWARD |
Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System – REGION NCR |
Winner |
Kabalikat Civicom, Novo, Nueva Viscaya – REGION 2 |
Winner |
EARLY RESPONSE NETWORK – LANAO DEL SUR (FORMERLY SARACAN) – REGION BARRM |
WINNER |
TZU CHI FOUNDATION – REGION NCR |
WINNER |
PHILIPPINE DISASTER RESILIENCE FOUNDATION |
WINNER |
LOCAL DRRMC CATEGORIES
Urban Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Committee |
AWARD |
Quezon, Mainit, Surigao del Norte – REGION CARAGA |
Finalist |
Arkong Bato, Valenzuela – REGION NCR |
Finalist |
Naggasican, Santiago City – REGION 2 |
Top Winner |
Rural Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Committee |
AWARD |
Dingin, Pagsanjan, Laguna – REGION CALABARZON |
Finalist |
Poblacion, Compostela Valley – REGION 11 |
Finalist |
Buenavista, Santiago City – REGION 2 |
Top Winner |
Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Council (4th to 6th Class) |
AWARD |
San Gabriel, La Union – Region 1 |
Finalist |
Mainit, Surigao del Norte – Region CARAGA |
Finalist |
Saguday, Quirino – Region 2 |
Top Winner |
Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Council (1st to 3rd Class) |
AWARD |
Baler, Aurora – Region 3 |
Finalist |
New Bataan, Compostela Valley – region 11 |
Finalist |
La Trinidad, Benguet – Region CAR |
Top Winner |
Highly Urbanized Ciy Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Council |
AWARD |
Iloilo City – Region 6 |
Finalist |
Angeles City – Region 3 |
Finalist |
Quezon City – Region NCR |
Top Winner |
Independent/Component City Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Council |
AWARD |
Bacoor City, Cavite – Region 4A |
Finalist |
Cauayan City, Isabela – Region 2 |
Finalist |
City of San Fernando, Pampanga – Region 3 |
Top Winner |
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Mangement Council |
AWARD |
Mountain Province – Region CAR |
Finalist |
Province of Quirino – Region 2 |
Top Winner |
BEST CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION CATEGORY
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION |
AWARD |
Center for Empowerment and Resource Development (CERD), Inc. – REGION CARAGA |
Finalist |
Socio Pastoral Action Center of Daet Foundation, Inc. (SPACFI) – REGION 5 |
Finalist |
Ecosystems Work For Essential Benefits (ECOWEB) – REGION 10 |
Top Winner |
BEST PEOPLES ORGANIZATION
PEOPLES ORGANIZATION |
AWARD |
NAGSAMA Federation - Marihatag, Surigao del Sur – region CARAGA |
Finalist |
KAMI Sunoi, Inc. – Region 6 |
Top Winner |
BEST VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION CATEGORY
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION |
AWARD |
United Medics Emergency Response Team – REGION 8 |
Finalist |
Tanay Mountaineers – REGION CALABARZON |
Finalist |
Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade - REGION 6 |
Top Winner |
Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade - REGION 6 |
HALL OF FAME AWARD |
PRIVATE BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
PRIVATE BUSINESS/CORPORATION |
AWARD |
People 360 Consulting Corporation – REGION NCR |
Top Winner |
GAWAD KALASAG FOR HOSPITALS
GOVERNMENT SPECIALTY HOSPITAL |
AWARD |
Philippine Children’s Medical Center - NCR |
Finalist |
Mariveles Mental Hospital – Region 3 |
Top Winner |
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT HOSPITAL |
AWARD |
Bunawan District Hospital - Region CARAGA |
Finalist |
J.R. Borja Hospital – Region 10 |
Finalist |
Biliran Provincial Hospital – Region 8 |
Top Winner |
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL |
AWARD |
Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center – Region 1 |
Finalist |
Batangas Medical Center – Region CALABARZON |
Finalist |
Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital – Region 5 |
Top Winner |
PRIVATE HOSPITAL |
AWARD |
Callang Specialty Clinic – Region 2 |
Finalist |
St. Anthony College of Roxas City Inc. – Region 6 |
Top Winner |
GAWAD KALASAG FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS (CDC)
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER |
AWARD |
Wilson Early Childhood Care Development Learning Center – REGION CARAGA |
Finalist |
Brgy. 18 Child Development Center, Ginoog City – REGION 10 |
Finalist |
San Lorenzo Ruiz Daycare - REGION 12 |
Top Winner |
GAWAD KALASAG FOR SCHOOLS
PUBLIC ELEMENTARY |
AWARD |
Marbel 1 Central Elementary School – REGION 12 |
Finalist |
Rabat Rocamora Mati Central SPED – REGION 11 |
Finalist |
Alas Asin Elementary School – REGION 3 |
Top Winner |
PRIVATE ELEMENTARY |
AWARD |
Ephiphany Christian Academy of La Trinidad Inc. – REGION CAR |
Finalist |
Xavier School – REGION NCR |
Top Winner |
PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL |
AWARD |
Imus National High School – REGION CALABARZON |
Finalist |
Bienvenido G. Celebre National High School – REGION 8 |
Finalist |
Bayugan National Comprehensive High School – REGION CARAGA |
Top Winner |
PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL |
AWARD |
Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School - REGION 10 |
Finalist |
St. Mary’s University, HS – REGION 2 |
Top Winner |
GAWAD KALASAG FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION |
AWARD |
University of San Carlos – Region 7 |
Finalist |
University of Cordilleras – Region CAR |
Finalist |
Capiz State University – Region 6 |
Top Winner |
GAWAD KALASAG FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION – GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
GEMS |
AWARD |
RESCUE 1124 ILAGAN CITY |
Finalist |
PAGSANJAN EMERGENCY RESPONSE |
Finalist |
DAVAO CENTRAL 911 |
Top Winner |