Davao Oriental has been cited as a disaster and climate-resilient province after being awarded to have the second best Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) in Davao Region on this year’s Regional Gawad Kalasag Awards.
The plaque, which was conferred on July 25 at Ritz Hotel in Davao City, is awarded by the Office of the Civil Defense as the province has shown “innovations and best practices in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change Adaptation (DRRM-CCA) Programs through various services rendered to its people”.
Aside from its efforts to promote disaster-resilient communities, the province has also been recognized in all its other efforts on good governance. “The province pursued peace and development, environmental protection, livelihood programs and health services while continuously preserving its culture and showcasing tribal skills and practices towards sustainable governance,” the plaque of recognition reads.
Engr. Jesusa Timbang, PDRRMO Department Head, who received the plaque of recognition and P30,000 worth of check, said that the recognition can be attributed to the positive response of the people on disaster preparedness in many disaster-prone communities.
“We have successfully educated the people of this province on how to act accordingly during disasters,” she said, citing their continuous community-based Information and Education (IEC) Campaign in different barangays during the Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental Barangay Outreach Program, a flagship program of the provincial government that convenes various agencies and offices to bring free goods and services to far-flung areas.
Timbang also said that the province’s established linkage between Municipal and City DRRMs is one of the province’s best practices, thus the plaque further reads, “the effective coordination and networking coupled with resource mobilization and enhanced trainings have provided safety and security of the people making the province disaster and climate-resilient”.
“One of our best practices here is our linkage to all MDRRMC, wherein action officers are members of a federation. All action officers conduct a monthly meeting to show that each municipality supports each other,” she said.
During the council’s second quarter meeting on July 27, Francis Jason Bendulo, PDRRMO Assistant Department Head, said that the council here has placed second due to the PDRRM office’s continuous operations. “Our office has to operate 24/7 so that we can immediately respond to disasters,” he said.
Alongside the provincial government, the DREAMS Rescue has bagged first place in the Civil Society Organization’s category.
Meanwhile, in the school’s category, Rabat Rocamora Mati Central Elementary School has been awarded first place and Boston National High School as second place for the schools’ initiative in using an improvised floating device out of indigenous and recyclable materials.
The PDDRRMC has already passed a resolution urging the Department of Education in the Division of Davao Oriental and the City of Mati to institutionalize the said best practice in all schools across the province.
