Brgy. Pis-anan, Sibalom is best BDCC
The Brgy. Disaster Coordinating Council (BDCC) of Pis-anan, Sibalom, Antique was named as the best BDCC in the rural category of the 'Gawad Kalasag' award this year.
Director Rosario Cabrera of the Office of Civil Defense VI said Pis-anan Brgy. Captain Marlene Nacis together with Sibalom Mayor Virginia Lotilla and Regional Disaster Coordinating Council VI (RDCC VI) Chair, Police Regional Office VI Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas received the award from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during the awarding ceremonies held at Malacanang last August 1.
"It was the third award for Brgy. Pis-anan. Had it participated last year and won, it could have qualified to the Hall of Fame award," Cabrera said.
Aside from Pis-anan BDCC, other DCCs in the region were also recipients of special citations. These were the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council of Sibunag, Guimaras and Bago City Disaster Coordinating Council of Negros Occidental for being in the top three of their respective categories.
Other awardees were: For Best Provincial Disaster Council (PDCC) - the province of Saranggani; Olongapo City for the Best City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC), highly urbanized category; Bayawan City, Misamis Oriental for the Independent Component/Component City category; Maragusan town in Compostela Valley for the Best Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council (MDCC), 1st to 3rd Class category; St. Bernard, Southern Leyte in the 4th to 6th Class category; Barangay Maa, Davao City for the Best Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council (BDCC), urban category.
This year's 'Gawad Kalasag' for NGOs on Humanitarian Assistance was awarded to Children International based in Tabaco City, Albay while the Junior Chamber International in Legaspi City, Albay won in the private/volunteer organizations category.
Bulacan Rescue 117 was declared winner in the Government Emergency Managers category.
The awardees for the Gawad Kalasag for Heroic Act/Deed of Individuals/Groups during Emergency Response and Rescue Operations were Captain Erwin Dan Nabayo of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), individual category (surviving), and the 5053rd Search and Rescue Squadron of the PAF.
Given special citations were Cedric Daep, Dr. Carlos C. Galvez, the RP Medical Teams sent to Myanmar, and the Crisis Disaster Management Directorate of Malaysia.
Hall of Fame awardees were the municipality of Labo in Camarines Norte (1st to 2nd Class Municipality category); Barangay Carmen, Cagayan De Oro City (urban category); and the Olongapo Kabalikat sa Ginhawa (KHG), government emergency responders. (PIA)