TARLAC CITY - The Tarlac Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has been elevated to the Hall of Fame of the National Risk Reduction and Management Council’s [NDRRMC] Gawad Kalasag after winning the national award for three consecutive years.
PDRRMC’s Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team/Emergency Medical Services [DART/EMS] ranked first place in the Best Government Emergency Management Services in the Basic Search and Rescue category during the 19th Gawad Kalasag National Awarding ceremony held at Crown Plaza Manila Galleria in Quezon City last December 11. Tarlac previously won in 2015 and 2016.
Gawad Kalasag is the principal mechanism of the NDRRMC in advancing and promoting awareness of the best practices a DRRM can able to achieve in humanitarian response and action including climate change adaptation programs.
Tarlac was awarded for its exemplary performance in the efficient delivery for both emergency management and public services by the utilization of its 24/7 operations center and full operationalization of emergency hotline 911.
Governor Susan Yap and Marvin Guiang, PDRRMO officer-in-charge, received the award from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Undersecretary Austere Panadero of Department of the Interior and Local Government and Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense.
Tarlac took home a trophy and a P100,000 cash.
The province of Tarlac has won first place in the Regional Gawad Kalasag four consecutive times.
Hall of Fame awardees include the province of Isabela for best local DRRM councils and committee under provincial category; municipality of Hinatuan, Surigao for best in local DRRM councils and committee under municipal category; Rescue 922, Cauayan City, Isabela for best in GEMS advance search and rescue category; Lord’s Hand Academy for best in school and higher education institutions in private school urban category; and Sipitan-Badiang Day Care Center in Guimbal, Iloilo for best early learning centers under rural category. (Ric Sapnu)