Northern Samar leads
TACLOBAN CITY – About 87 local government units in Eastern Visayas were bestowed the ‘Gawad Kalasag’ award from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The Gawad Kalasag (KAlamidad at Sakuna LAbanan, SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan) is a performance-based assessment designed to encourage and reward innovations to local government units in disaster preparedness, resilience, and community safety.
The number of awardees, held on Monday, Dec.2, at the People’s Center, this city, represents a substantial increase from 31 in 2023, with 17 LGUs attaining the prestigious “Beyond Compliant” status.
Based on the guidelines, Beyond Compliant LGUs are those that get an assessment rating of 2.5 to 3 while Fully Compliant LGUs are those that receive a rating of 1.5 to 2.49.
DILG Region 8 Regional Director Arnel Agabe emphasized the importance of sustaining the momentum of disaster preparedness efforts.
“The award you receive today is not the culmination but the continuation of our journey towards resilience. Let us sustain and improve our disaster preparedness efforts to mitigate the impacts of calamities, aiming always for zero casualties,” he said.
Agabe also commended the proactive measures taken by LGUs during Super Typhoon ‘Pepito’, which resulted in zero casualties despite its severe effects in Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces.
“To our mayors and LGUs who went the extra mile to ensure their communities’ safety, you are our unsung heroes,” he added.
Northern Samar emerged as a standout province, with over 60% of its municipalities receiving recognition for excellence in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
LGUs from Palapag, Catarman, and Lope De Vega were among those achieving “Beyond Compliant” ratings, while others, including Mapanas, Laoang, and Mondragon, earned “Fully Compliant” ratings.
Joe Louis Gajutos, president of the DRRM Officers League in Northern Samar (DRAGONS), urged a shift from compliance to meaningful disaster governance.
“We can never rest on this paper laurel. Our people live on the front lines of climate change impacts, facing a cycle of recovery and rehabilitation amidst destruction. We must work quadruple times harder to build resilient communities,” he stressed.
Gajutos also commended the provincial government of Northern Samar for prioritizing risk-informed development plans, saying, “This strategic pivot to disaster governance and nature-based solutions is a leap forward for comprehensive resilience.”
OCD Region 8 Director Lord Byron Torrecarion highlighted the region’s unique challenges and its progress.
“Eastern Visayas’ geographic vulnerabilities put it at high risk, yet this year, we’ve achieved a 181% increase in awardees. This shows that with effort and determination, nothing is impossible,” Torrecarion said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
