By Emmanuel P. Solis
LEGAZPI CITY–The City Government of Legazpi has been chosen by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) as the only local government unit (LGU) in Bicol that got the “Gawad Kalasag Beyond Compliant Award” in recognition of the city’s best risk reduction management program.
Mayor Geraldine B. Rosal in an interview on Tuesday said the recognition came after Legazpi city passed in the final evaluation conducted by the NDRRMC based on these four pillars: disaster prevention; disaster preparedness; disaster response, and disaster recovery and rehabilitation.
She said the Beyond Compliant Award is a prestigious recognition to Legazpi City for the effective implementation of the city’s DRRM program that saved the lives of the people during calamities that successfully achieved its “zero casualty” goal for the past several years already.
“We consider the DRRM as one of the most important programs of the city to make sure lives of the people and their properties are safe from the onslaught of the typhoons, volcanic eruption and other natural hazards,” Rosal added.
She said Legazpi has been earlier recognized already by the NDRRMC as “hall of famer” for winning in three consecutive years, or from 2013 until 2015, the yearly Gawad Kalasag national search for performing anti- disasters works.
Legazpi City DRRM officer Engineer Miladee Azur in a separate interview said the city has passed the criteria and other documentations they submitted digitally to the NDRRMC
These documents are about the disaster response clusters for search and rescue including camp management coordination during evacuation, protection of eternally displaced people food and non-food items, peace order and security in the evacuation centers, and resources for logistics and communication, Azur said.
She said Legazpi City got the highest points in disaster response and search for rescue operation during emergency crisis like the presence of Emergency Quick Response Team (EQRT); manual for 911 operation; contingency plan; local DRRM plan; local climate change action plan; manual for emergency operation center; manual for emergency response; early warning system in evacuation centers; manual for camp coordination of camp management; manual for risk communication including comprehensive land use plan; and, zoning ordinance.
“There is already a tentative date on December 1 for the awarding ceremony that will be spearheaded by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol and will be held in Legazpi City,” Azur concluded.