THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), awarded the Gawad Kalasag (kalamidad at sakuna labanan, sariling galing ang kaligtasan) Seal of Excellence to Bacolod City.

Garnering a rating of 2.77, the city has exceeded the standards for the establishment and functionality of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and Offices (LDRRMCOs) category this year as prescribed in the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010 or the Republic Act No. 10121, a statement from the city government over the weekend, said.

It added that last year, the city achieved the “fully compliant” award but this year the city’s goal was to get the “beyond compliant” recognition.

Iloilo City garnered the highest rating in Western Visayas while other localities receiving the “beyond compliant” award were the cities of Bago and Sipalay in Negros Occidental, the municipalities of Dumalag and Panitan in Capiz and the municipality of Malay in Aklan

“Gawad Kalasag” was established in 1998, in Search for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance.

This has served as the country’s recognition and award scheme for various stakeholders who promote and implement disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation (DRRM-CCA), and humanitarian assistance programs that protect and shield high risk communities against extreme hazards and render them more capable of addressing their vulnerabilities.* (PR)