St. Bernard (S. Leyte) disaster council bags regional Gawad Kalasag Award

MAASIN CITY, Philippines — The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC) of St. Bernard town in Southern Leyte was this year’s 1st place winner of the Gawad Kalasag Award given by the Office of the Civil Defense-8, headed by Director Rey Gozon.

The St. Bernard DRRMC, chaired by Mayor Rico Rentuza, received from OCD-8 the first prize check of P50,000, according to Provincial Civil Defense Officer Marichu Tan, who said that the recognition will automatically qualify the town’s council as a nominee for the national competition on disaster preparedness.

Tan said a validating team will conduct verifications on the disaster preparedness to include its best practices on early warning, disaster response, among others, of the regional winner, according to a PIA-8 report.

She also reported that, from September 5 to 7, 250 students of the San Juan Polytechnic College in San Juan town of Southern Leyte will undergo a DRRM orientation and earthquake drill.

A continued Community Based Contingeny Planning Workshop in the province was also scheduled for Hinundayan town of Southern Leyte on September 8, she added.  - THE FREEMAN