President Marcos Leads 24th Gawad Kalasag National Awarding Ceremony, Honors Builders of Disaster Resilience
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday presided over the national awarding ceremony for the 24th Gawad Kalasag, which recognizes stakeholders dedicated to promoting disaster resilience.
“Today, we honor and give recognition to individuals, LGUs, academic institutions, medical facilities, and other organizations who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment towards achieving resilience. This 24th Gawad Kalasag Seal and special awards for excellence in disaster risk reduction and management and humanitarian assistance highlight that building resilience is not the task of one single entity, but a collective effort that requires a whole-of-government, indeed a whole-of-society approach,” President Marcos stated.
The President commended the recipients for going “above and beyond to ensure the safety and well-being of their respective communities.” Among them were courageous students John Niño Suarez and Emer Jhune Donaire, who bravely faced strong currents to rescue a townmate at the Lawis Marine Sanctuary Park in Poro, Cebu last March, despite lacking formal water rescue training. Rafael Valencia was also recognized for pioneering new technologies in disaster preparedness, along with organizations that advocate for national resilience.
“Dahil dito, kaisa ko ang sambayanang Pilipino sa pagsasaludo at pagkikilala sa inyong mahahalagang kontribusyon at tagumpay. Maraming salamat sa inyong sakripisyo, sa inyong pagsusumikap, at sa inyong dedikasyon (Because of this, I am one with the Filipino people in honoring and acknowledging your vital contributions and successes. Thank you very much for your sacrifices, your hard work, and your dedication),” the President noted.
Highlighting the necessity for continuous improvement in the country’s disaster risk reduction and management system, Marcos stated that the government is consolidating technologies and best practices to build a stronger community. He also mentioned the recent enactment of the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which mandates the establishment of designated evacuation centers in every city and municipality nationwide, providing secure temporary shelter for displaced Filipinos during calamities.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed gratitude to President Marcos “for his leadership in proactively anticipating and managing both natural and man-made calamities.” He cited the activation of the Task Force El Niño as an example of early intervention, which prepares institutions for slow-onset calamities without creating permanent infrastructures irrelevant to immediate disaster response.
Teodoro also acknowledged local government units for their leadership in tailoring disaster risk reduction measures to meet the unique needs of their communities, down to the barangay level, and praised civic organizations for their role in strengthening resilience under the theme "Bagong Pilipinas."
The winners of the Gawad Kalasag awards are:
(Local DRRM Councils and Offices Category)
- Best Province: Province of Occidental Mindoro
- Best Municipality (1st to 3rd Class Category): Municipality of Malungon, Province of Sarangani
- Best Municipality (4th to 6th Class Category): Municipality of Cagwait, Province of Surigao Del Sur
- Best Highly Urbanized City: City of Caloocan
- Best Component City: City of Tacurong, Province of Sultan Kudarat
- Best Independent Component City: Santiago City, Province of Isabela
(First Placers and Hall of Fame Awardees in the Special Awards Category)
- Alasasin Elementary School (Public Elementary School Category)
- Federation Iloilo Fire Brigade, Inc. (Volunteer Organization Category)
- Socio Pastoral Action Center Foundation, Inc. (Civil Society Organization Category)
- SN Aboitiz-Power Magat, Inc. (Private Organization Category)
(Other First Placers in the Special Awards Category)
- Camp Tinio National High School (Public High School Category)
- University of Cordilleras (Higher Education Institution Category)
- Catarman Emergency Response Unit (Government Emergency Management Systems and Response Team Category)
- City of Ilagan Medical Center (Local Government Hospital Category)
- Cagayan Valley Medical Center (National Government Hospital Category)
(Special Awards)
- Heroic Act: John Niño Suarez and Emer Jhune Donaire for their bravery in saving a drowning victim.
- Special Recognition (Individual Category): Rafael “Paeng" C. Valencia for innovative contributions to climate change and DRRM policies.
- Special Recognition (Group Category): 525th Combat Engineer Battalion for their rapid response to disasters and humanitarian crises.
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