The Pasig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (Pasig City DRRMO) has officially turned over to the city government the 2023 Gawad KAlamidad at sakuna LAbanan, SAriling Galing ang Kaligtasan (KALASAG) Award it received from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in December last year in recognition of the city's efforts in improving and expanding its disaster response capabilities.

(Photo from Pasig LGU)

The city government said that Pasig's Gawad KALASAG Seal of Excellence under the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Offices (LDRRMOs) category recognizes stakeholders that implement programs for disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation, and humanitarian assistance that protect high risk communities against extreme hazards.

The basis for the 2023 Gawad KALASAG award included the principles of stakeholders' participation, transparency, innovativeness, partnership, self-reliance, and spirit of volunteerism.

"Ginawaran ng Beyond Compliant, o ang pinakamataas na antas sa ilalim ng LDRRMO Category, ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Pasig matapos nitong makakuha ng 2.69 na rating (The city government of Pasig has received the Beyond Compliant status from the NDRRMC, which is the highest level of compliance under the LDRRMO Category after recording a 2.69 rating)," the city government noted.

According to the NDRRMC, local government units (LGUs) undergo a selection process for the GK Seal and mandatory assessment.

LGUs who got 2.5 to 3.0 rating in the assessment were cited as “Beyond Compliant,” while those with 1.5 to 2.49 rating were “Fully Compliant."

New fire trucks

After the award's turnover ceremony, eight brand new fire trucks were blessed and turned over to its duty bearers in the city government:

- For DRRMO: Chemical Tanker, Pumper, Tanker, Aerial Ladder
- For Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP): Chemical Tanker at Pumper
- For City Parks and Playground: Fire Tanker
- For City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO): Fire Tanker

(Photos from Pasig LGU)

"Inaasahan na sa pamamagitan ng mga bagong fire trucks na ito ay mas mapapabuti pa nito ang kakayahan ng BFP at DRRMO at mapabilis ang pagresponde sa mga sunog at iba pang emergencies. Ilan sa mga ito ay maaaring magamit sa pagpasok sa mas maliliit na daan at mayroon ding articulated ladder na maaari namang magamit para makapagresponde sa sunog sa mga matataas na gusali (We are expecting that with these brand new fire trucks, the BFP and DRRMO's emergency and fire response capabilities will further improve. Some of these vehicles can be used in passing through narrow streets and some also have articulated ladders that can be used in putting out fires from high buildings)," the LGU explained.

"Samantala, ang fire tanker naman para sa City Parks and Playground ay gagamitin para sa pagdidilig ng city-maintained plants/plant boxes, ganun din ang para sa CENRO, maging ang para sa flushing ng mga daan. Gayumpaman, maaari ring magamit ang mga ito sa pagresponde sa mga sunog (On the other hand, fire tankers of the City Parks and Playground and CENRO will be used in watering city-maintained plants/plant boxes as well as in the flushing of streets. These can also be used in responding to fires)," it added.