Tacurong Rescue Team bags Regional Gawad Kalasag Award

The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council XII recognized the Tacurong City Responsive Assistance and Coordinated Emergency Search and Rescue (TRACER) as Best Volunteer Organization in the Gawad Kalasag 2012.

‘Gawad Kalasag’, which stands for KAlamidad at Sakuna LAbanan SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan, is a presidential award given to individuals, non-government organizations, private sector and government organizations, in recognition of their initiative in helping the Filipino government uplift the standard of disaster management in the country.

Tacurong City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) also received a Special Citation Award as the 2nd Best Local DRRM Council for Region XII under the Component Cities Category.

CDRRM Officer Eufemia Robles and TRACER Asst. Team Leader Amante Alcaide receive the award .

RDRRM XII, headed by Reg. Dir. Lita B. Enok, cited TRACER for providing ‘exceptional contributions in disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation, particularly in providing much-needed help during the response phase of DRRM’ and for ‘strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacities of the constituency’.

TRACER is a group of multi-skilled volunteers tapped to conduct disaster preparedness activities and trainings in schools and barangays. The group also responds to natural and even man-made calamities in Tacurong and in nearby municipalities.

 “We hope that the group’s sense of volunteerism will not fade. We appreciate all of their efforts in educating our people on risk reduction,” said Tacurong Mayor Lina O. Montilla.

 “This award is an inspiration to work harder and come up with new strategies to increase people’s disaster preparedness and knowledge on risk reduction,” said Eufemia T. Robles, CDRRM Officer.

The Regional Evaluation was conducted on June 20, 2012 by the Regional Selection and Evaluation Committee. The award was received on September 10, 2012 at Sun City Suites, General Santos City. Complete list of regional winners is on Facebook/Tanggulang Sibil Rehiyon Dose.

As the Regional Winner, TRACER was evaluated by the National Selection and Evaluation Committee on August 3, 2012. Results of the National Gawad Kalasag 2012 will be out before September ends.