For the fifth time, the City Government of San Fernando bagged the Best City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council award under the category of Component or Independent City for excellently implementing and promoting the programs that build resiliency in community during the 19th Gawad Kalasag Award held August 7 at Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.
Gawad Kalasag stands for “KAlamidad at SAkuna LAbanan SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan.”
Conferred by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council and Office of the Civil Defense, the awarding seeks to recognize the local DRRMC’s, private groups and institutions that have shown exceptional courageousness, selfless and heroism in times of disasters and calamities.
For the Basic Search and Rescue category, the San Fernando Rescue Unit (SAFRU) was awarded as second place for Best Government Emergency Response Management for exemplary showing the good practices in operations response and preparedness in times of emergencies.
Other cities that were awarded for Best City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council were Balanga City (2nd place) followed by Palayan City (3rd place).
For the Best Government Emergency Response Management, the awardees were PDRRMO Tarlac (1st place) and PDRRMO Bulacan (3rd place).
In an interview, Mayor Edwin “Edsa” Santiago lauded the efforts of the personnel of both CDRRM and SAFRU for leading the way towards a prepared and resilient community.
“Hinahangaan ko ang ating mga emergency personnel sa kanilang determinasyon, katapangan at katatagan upang makapagbigay ng maayos na serbisyo sa mamamayan,” Santiago said.
The city mayor added that this recognition serves as an inspiration to do better for the safeness of the Fernandinos.
“Mas lalo nating paiigtingin ang mga trainings nila ng sa ganon ay mas lalo pang gumanda ang kanilang pagseserbisyo at mga programa para sa kahandaan ng syudad,” Santiago added.
Also present during the awarding were City Administrator Engr. Fernando Limbitco, Chief of Staff Engr. Remedios Agoncillo, City Local Government Operations Officer Engr. Algy Canlas and CDRRMO personnel headed by Raymond Del Rosario.