TACLOBAN CITY- Tacloban City bags as the 1st place in this year’s Regional Gawad Kalasag Award which is held every July of the year as part of the disaster awareness month.
The awarding ceremony was held on July 31 at the Summit Hotel July 31, 2018 during the 20th Gawad Kalasag.
Proud of the performance of the Tacloban Rescue Unit (Tacru), City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez congratulated the disaster team for garnering the 1st place Gawad Kalasag Award.
Mayor Romualdez, in an interview, revealed that she herself encourages the Tacru team to continue their dedicated efforts and be the instrument of disaster risk reduction management.
“May you be effective in your endeavors, we should be always in a disaster preparedness mood or rather mode,” Mayor Romualdez added.
Tacru, Tacloban’s rescue unit working hand in hand with the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chaired by Mayor Romualdez and supported by Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez responds to emergency cases within the city and neighboring municipalities.
Tacru received P50,000 and a plaque of appreciation from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (RDRRMC) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD-8) which headed by Henry Anthony Torres as its prize.
The awarding ceremony was attended by OCD Deputy Administrator for Operation Asec. Nicanor Faeldon, who in his speech, commended the winners of the Gawad Kalasag Award.
Tacru has assisted various disaster awareness events such as the Barangayan medical mission; as stand-by medic for the various fun run events held in the city; conducted trainings on standard first aid; basic life support; urban search and rescue; mountain search and rescue; water search and rescue; hosted the recently held two-day Regional Rescue Jamboree 2018 at the Tacloban Astrodome and Patio Victoria and conducted various simulation drills at Rizal Central School, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Tacloban National Agriculture School & Nula-Tula Elementary School and assisted the CPR For Life led by the city government of Tacloban at the Tacloban Astrodome.
TACRU Team Leader Lotlot Raagas, in an interview, thanked the OCD-8 for the trust and for believing in their cause; TACRU’s number one benefactor, Rep. Romualdez; the city government of Tacloban through Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez and the guidance and courage extended by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management (CDRRMC) Officer Ildelbrando Bernadas; and all their volunteers for their hard work and sacrifices.
Gawad Kalasag (meaning Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) celebrated its 20th Gawad Kalasag Regional Awards in Tacloban City in recognition to the outstanding contributions rendered in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian assistance.
(GAY GASPAY, TISAT)