Saint Bernard is Eastern Visayas bet to national search for Kalasag Award

By Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu

Monday 9th of July 2012

TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, July 9 (PIA) -- The local disaster risk reduction and management council of Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte has been nominated as this year’s bet of Eastern Visayas to the national search for Kalasag Award.

Office of Civil Defense-8 Director and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chairman Rey Gozon said the nomination of Saint Bernard came after thorough evaluation of the Regional Search Committee for the Kalasag Award.

Saint Bernard LDRRMC was cited for excellence in disaster risk management, humanitarian assistance in preparing or responding to disasters and recovering from disasters and similar emergencies.

Saint Bernard, the lone nominee from Eastern Visayas, was also cited for best practices particularly in forewarning the local communities in times of disaster through the maximize use of Early Warning System (EWS).

St. Bernard MDRRMC has adopted effectively the early warning system with the recent heavy rains experienced in the municipality that induced flashfloods and flooding and saved the lives of the communities and eventually arrived with zero casualties.

St. Bernard MDRRMC also has been identified by some foreign assisted non-government organizations (NGOs) such as CARE –ACCORD, among others, for its effective use of early warning system which has saved lives and some properties of the victims since they were already evacuated before the any calamity strikes.

It is the lone nominee from Eastern Visayas in the Best Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council in the Region.

The committee is composed of NEDA Director Bonifacio Uy, DOST Director Edgar Esperancilla, PIA Director Erlinda Olivia Tiu, OCD Director Gozon, and representatives of DOH, DSWD, DILG, DepEd, and Philippine Red Cross Leyte Chapter.

The Gawad KALASAG Award is an honor given to best government office (GO), non-government organization(NGO) and individuals who have shown heroic acts in time of disasters and calamities and in working on disaster risk management (DRM).

Gawad KAlamidad at Sakuna LAban, SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan (KALASAG) was conceived to guard and shelter high risk communities against hazards by encouraging participation of various stakeholders in designing and implementing DRM programs.

Kalasag is the Filipino term for “shield” used by early Filipinos as a means of protection from attacks of enemies or harmful animals.

The announcement and awarding of winners will be in October of this year. (PIA)