San Jose dB is Gawad Kalasag Hall of Famer

(L-R): OCD USEC Benito Ramos, DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, Mayor Rony Molina, MDRRM Officer Engr. Alex Crespo, OCD Region VI Rose Cabrera and DND Sec. Voltaire Gazmin.

(L-R): OCD USEC Benito Ramos, DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, Mayor Rony Molina, MDRRM Officer Engr. Alex Crespo, DND Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, OCD Region VI Rose Cabrera, MDRRMC Info Officer Fe Corazon Malaya Tacogdoy and MDRRMO Research and Planning Head Ma. Fe Salvani.

San Jose de Buenavista was adjudged as the Best Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for 1st to 3rd Class Municipality Category in the Philippines.

This is the third consecutive year that the Municipal Council earned the National Gawad Kalasag for the said category thus placing San Jose dB in the Hall of Fame.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council lauded San Jose de Buenavista for integrating DRRM into development and investment planning; adoption and implementation of Cluster Approach in DRRM; effective inter-local cooperation; notable coordination and partnership with national agencies related to DRRM; preference given to persons with disability in disaster management planning; and regular conduct of drills to ensure community preparedness.

Awarding of the National Gawad Kalasag was held at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City on October 10, 2012.

Gawad Kalasag (KAlamidad at Sakuna LAbanan SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan) is given to individuals, non-government organizations, private sector and government organizations, in recognition of their initiative in helping the Filipino government uplift the standard of disaster risk reduction and management in the Philippines.

Other National Gawad Kalasag 2012 awardees from Western Visayas were:

• Guimaras Province: 2nd PLACE PDRRM COUNCIL
• Bacolod City: 3rd PLACE CDRRM COUNCIL
• Balete, Aklan: 3rd PLACE 4th to 6th Class Municipality/MDRRMC
• Bgy Sipitan-Badiang, Guimbal, Iloilo: 1st PLACE Rural Barangay Category/BDRRMC
• Bacolod Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade: 1st Best Private Organization
• Iloilo Emergency Responders: 2nd Place Basic SAR; Best Govt Emergency Response Management (GEMS)
• Cabasi-Sta. Rosa Elementary School, Guimbal,Iloilo: 1st PLACE Best School (public-Rural)
• Guimaras Provincial Hospital: 2nd Place Best Hospital (Provincial & District Hospital)
• Abante Aklan (Civil Society Organization) : Heroic Act or Deed During Emergency Response & Rescue Operations (Special Citation)

San Jose de Buenavista targets to earn the Seal of Disaster Preparedness of the Department of Interior and Local Government after bagging the 2012 National Gawad Kalasag Best Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 1st - 3rd Class Municipality Category and 2012 Gawad Kalasag Hall of Fame Award.