DAGUPAN CITY –- The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has named Barangay Malued here as the 3rd Best Barangay in the Philippines for the 2018 Gawad Kalasag (Kalamidad at Sakuna LAbanan SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan) Award.
The Gawad Kalasag Award aims to recognize individuals, local councils, and organizations – whose contributions in the field of disaster risk reduction and management – are worth emulating, according to NDRRMC.
In an interview on Thursday, Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez, said Barangay Malued was the only village in the city picked as nominee for the award, and one of the two to represent Region 1 (Ilocos region). The other nominee was Barangay San Gabriel in La Union province.
“We just received word from the NDRRMC that Malued made it to the Top 3, after their validation last July 8 to 10 this year,” Fernandez said.
Gawad Kalasag Regional Focal Person Mark Madusog disclosed that the flood-prone barangay’s efforts, which were mainly focused on safety and disaster management, are “worthy of emulation” and the basis for its being a top contender for the national award.
“We take pride in our barangay’s best practices – resilience, response and rescue, whether during emergencies or disasters,” said Chairman Filipina delos Santos of Barangay Malued.
She noted that vehicles owned by the barangay were even converted into response vehicles.
“We have converted our mini-truck into a fire truck, so that it can enter narrow alleys in our sitios, while our patrol vehicle could also serve as an ambulance, in case our residents need emergency response,” delos Santos said.
Projects on flood mitigation in the barangay, mainly the elevation of roads, construction of the drainage system, and the rehabilitation of dikes to prevent flooding and seepage of floodwaters from the Sinocalan River, are ongoing, she added.
The awarding ceremony will take place on July 27. (Ahikam Pasion/PNA)
