GENERAL SANTOS CITY — South Cotabato province’s enhanced Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) program received a major boost after it emerged as the best prepared in Soccsksargen 2018 Regional Gawad Kalasag Awards.
The provincial government was formally conferred with the award during the regional culmination of the National Disaster Resilience Month held at the Greenleaf Hotel here Tuesday.
Minda Morante, Office of Civil Defense-12 director, said the province topped the assessment facilitated by the agency for this year’s regional search under the provincial category.
North Cotabato placed second, followed by Sarangani province and Sultan Kudarat. South Cotabato placed second last year to Sarangani in the same category.
Aside from the award, the province received a cash incentive of PHP50,000 and will represent Soccsksargen in the national Gawad Kalasag search.
South Cotabato Vice Governor Vicente de Jesus said the award shows that the province’s DRRM programs have significantly improved these past years.
In particular, de Jesus cited the initiatives on disaster mitigation in vulnerable communities in the province’s 10 towns and lone city.
“As an outstanding (awardee) in preparedness and resilience, this shows that whatever happens, we can say that our team is ready and our people are well-informed. We can’t avoid it (disasters), but we can prepare for them. We are assured that our team is ready in case they happen,” he said.
De Jesus assured that the local government will continue to set the necessary innovations and strategies to further enhance the implementation of its DRRM programs.
The vice governor said these include the DRRM training and seminars for implementers and community stakeholders, provision of necessary equipment to disaster responders and the expansion of disaster warning systems.
Aside from the province, Barangay Poblacion of Tupi town also bagged its third consecutive Best Prepared Barangay DRRM Council Award under the urban category.
Barangay Poblacion, Tupi will represent Soccsksargen in this year’s national Gawad Kalasag and will vie for the Hall of Fame Award after topping the search since 2016.
The municipality of Polomolok was awarded the Best Prepared Municipal DRRM Council under the first- to third-class municipalities category.
Tacurong City topped the component cities category while lone entry, General Santos, bagged the award in the highly-urbanized city category. (Frances Kristine Alvero/PNA)
