Is the Gawad Kalasag really rewarding disaster resilience?

Is the Gawad Kalasag Really Rewarding Disaster Resilience?

As a professional in the field of disaster risk reduction and management, it's essential to critically examine whether the Gawad Kalasag award truly recognizes excellence in disaster resilience. Given the Philippines' consistent ranking as one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, efforts in DRRM should match the devastating force of disasters.

The Current State of Affairs

The Gawad Kalasag, which translates to Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan (Fight Calamities and Disasters, Safety is Your Own Strength), is a national award that recognizes outstanding disaster management programs. Established by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and mandated by Republic Act 10121 (The Philippine DRRM Act of 2010), the award aims to recognize different groups, including local governments, schools, hospitals, and people's organizations, for their work in DRRM, climate change adaptation, and humanitarian aid.

The Controversy Surrounding the Gawad Kalasag

While the goal is to reward excellence, a lingering question persists Has the Gawad Kalasag become a complacency award, prioritizing meticulous documentation and political showmanship over real resilience? The arguments against its current focus involve bureaucracy, spending habits, and the sobering reality of what happens when a disaster resilience champion is severely affected by a disaster.

The Main Criticism Documentary Compliance

DRRM is a complex, technical, and often expensive endeavor, encompassing everything from engineering to community organization. However, bureaucratic evaluation systems naturally favor what's easiest to verify – written plans and policies. The rigid Gawad Kalasag evaluation process requires the submission of complete Local DRRM (LDRRM) Plans, detailed spending reports, official legislative resolutions and ordinances, and a comprehensive portfolio of photos from seminars, training, and drills.

The Consequences Form Over Substance

This setup strongly rewards local government units (LGUs) that excel at form (nice-looking paperwork) rather than substance (actual risk reduction). Consider the mandatory Local DRRM Fund (LDRRMF). LGUs are mandated under RA 10121 to set aside at least 5 percent of their revenue for this fund, with 70 percent earmarked for long-term prevention.

The Truth A False Sense of Security

An LGU seeking a Gawad Kalasag might allocate the fund on workshops and highly visible equipment that looks good on paper, such as utility vehicles fitted as rescue vehicles, pastel-colored partition tents with the LGU's logo in front, rubber boats, and bright-colored go-bags. These are prioritized over less-photogenic but far more impactful projects like dredging canals, retrofitting of infrastructure, or comprehensive geo-hazard mapping.

The Verdict A Call to Action

In these situations, the Gawad Kalasag can become a political shield, allowing local officials to deflect blame by claiming, the NDRRMC recognized us as the best; the disaster was simply too strong. It's time to ask ourselves Are we rewarding form over substance? Are we creating a culture of complacency?

What's Next?

Join me in the next two parts of this series as we delve deeper into the controversy surrounding the Gawad Kalasag. Together, let's explore the implications of this award on disaster resilience and the true meaning of fighting calamities and disasters.

Take Action

Share your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #GawadKalasagControversy.

Join me in the next two parts of this series by commenting below or reaching out to me directly.

Let's work together to create a culture of resilience, not complacency.

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Keywords Gawad Kalasag, disaster risk reduction and management, DRRM, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Republic Act 10121, The Philippine DRRM Act of 2010.

Edits

Improved tone to be more critical and analytical
Simplified language and sentence structure for better readability
Added transitional phrases to improve flow between sections
Emphasized key points and arguments throughout the text
* Clarified confusing information and provided examples for better understanding

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.