The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Friday, August 2, that it has conferred the “Dangal Bantayog ng Katatagan” award to three Filipinos who exemplified substantive accomplishments and contributions to the field of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).
The awardees were University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI) Executive Director Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay who received the “Dangal ng Pilipino sa Pagpapaunlad ng Kagalingan at Katatagan;” Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey S. Salceda who sealed the “Dangal ng Pilipino sa Pagtataguyod ng Pribado at Pampublikong Katatagan;” and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President Ramon Ang who secured the “Dangal ng Pilipino sa Pag-agapay sa Ligtas na Sambayanan.”
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC), through the OCD, conferred the awards during the culmination of the National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM) on July 31 at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
In their speeches, the Dangal Bantayog awardees emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to strengthen disaster risk reduction and lessen the impact of calamities.
Lagmay stressed that integrating lessons from past disasters and fostering multi-sector collaboration will enhance preparedness and resilience.
“Bilang disaster scientist, ang trabaho namin po ay pumupunta sa ground zero, tinitingnan natin ang mga mali (As a disaster scientist, our job is to go on the ground and look for what is wrong). Disasters unfold in different ways and we only learn the lessons if we investigate them. Hindi po nauubos at natatapos ang pagsasaliksik ng kaalaman (Searching for knowledge is a never ending job),” he said.
The UPRI executive director played a key role in the establishment and operationalization of the UP Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center. He led various climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction projects and provided expertise to numerous private and public institutions, local government units, and other organizations.
Lagmay's practical experience in search-and-rescue operations and forensic analyses contributed to his comprehensive knowledge of major Philippine catastrophes. He earned numerous awards and recognitions both locally and internationally for his contributions and expertise in volcano-tectonics, disaster forensics, and climate change adaptation.
Meanwhile, Salceda led the establishment of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) and the Climate Change Academy in Albay. Under his leadership, the province received the Galing Pook Award for Outstanding Governance Program on Disaster Preparedness and the Gawad Kalasag Hall of Fame Award for Best Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for three consecutive years.
He mentioned that capacity building is the “principle” of disaster risk reduction. “Give me all the risks for as long as I have all the capacity then development will proceed. The issue is not relief, it is not rescue, it is capacity, give them capacity.”
Another awardee is SMC’s Ang who was recognized for his company’s corporate social responsibility programs that align with the government's DRRM goals.
Their notable initiatives include the River Cleanup Advocacy which commenced in 2020, support of over P14 billion for Covid-19 response operations, and aid to the victims of Typhoon Sendong in 2012 and Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 amounting to over P1 billion for housing programs. The SMC also carried out livelihood and financial support programs to facilitate the recovery of families affected by different disasters.
“While we cannot control the forces of nature, we certainly can mitigate their impact and protect our communities from the worst of it. At San Miguel, our mission extends beyond helping grow the economy. We believe it is our responsibility to equip our communities with the tools they need to prepare for, endure, and recover from such calamities.” said Ang in a message read by his representative, Mr. Jaime Lu.