A catchment school in Guimbal, Iloilo, the Cabasi-Sta. Rosa Elementary School is now a Gawad Kalasag Hall of Famer with its third straight win this year.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Dir. Rosario T. Cabrera said the school officials of Cabasi-Sta. Rosa Elementary School led by principal Emmanuel Paguntalan received the award in a ceremony held on Oct. 10 at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
The school earlier received its Gawad Kalasag Award in 2010 and 2011 because of its best Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) school-based programs and projects. The school then received its award from Defense Sec. Voltaire T. Gazmin who is also chair of the National DRRM Council (NDRRMC) and former Department of Interior and Local Government Sec. Jesse Robredo.
Iloilo Provincial DRRM executive officer Jerry Bionat said the evaluators of the Gawad Kalasag, a prestigious national award, were really amazed on how the school children have been prepared in terms of their response to natural disasters, especially typhoon, storm surge, earthquake and fire.
He said that the faculty, students and their parents have organized their disaster brigade and have signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the officials of Brgy. Cabasi, where the school is located, for the school to serve as evacuation center. They also would help in the community kitchen and feeding of evacuees.
The teachers have also incorporated in their lesson plan the different hazards, natural and man-made, which they teach to students. In each of the classroom, there is a pupil assigned as classroom disaster commander who has been trained on how to lead the evacuation and identify the safe and unsafe spots inside their classroom. There is also a first aid kit in every classroom and students have been trained on first aid and bandaging.
Aside from Cabasi-Sta. Rosa Elementary School, the town of Guimbal led by Mayor Christine Garin had been already included in the Gawad Kalasag Hall of Fame in 2011 for having the best DRRM under the 4th to 6th class municipality.