Dedicated community partnership among local government units, barangay leaders and community members working for humanitarian assistance and effective emergency response deserves recognition.

The efforts of Olongapo City were recognized when the City was declared as nation’s best in disaster risk reduction management and was eventually installed in the National Hall of Fame for garnering the top prize of the Gawad Kalasag Awards for Excellence in disaster preparedness and management for three consecutive years – CYs 2007-2009. The awards program is being implemented by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

 Olongapo City, under the leadership of Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr., has taken measures and has always been on alert to prevent, respond, and recover from disasters that may hit the city.

 
As it is, Olongapo City is categorized as a hazard-prone area because it is exposed to dangers from earthquakes including tsunamis as well as landslides, volcanic eruptions and floods. With all of this natural calamities that may occur, the city is continuously in pursuit of establishing an effective rescue team equipped with well-trained personnel, the members of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office as well as the frontline service providers and rescuers have been undergoing trainings to upgrade their capabilities on disaster risk reduction and in saving lives and properties.  The City Government also regularly adds and upgrades its supplies and equipment for the purpose.

Likewise, Barangay Sta. Rita of Olongapo City is the nation’s best at the barangay level as it also won the Gawad Kalasag Award. The Barangay Risk Reduction Management Committee of Sta. Rita was adjudged best not only in Region III but also nationwide for its disaster management, mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation.

The officials and community members of Barangay Sta. Rita led by Punong Barangay Jerome Michael Bacay are doing their best to continuously upgrade the disaster risk reduction capacities of the barangay in order to better serve its people. The barangay is also hoping to be able to save lives and properties not just in the barangay and the city but in other LGUs inside and outside the region. Bagging the National Gawad Kalasag Awards and being elevated in the National Hall of Fame of the said Awards Program is just a big bonus for the people of Sta. Rita because their primary aim is to save as many lives and properties as possible through its best efforts in disaster management, mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation.

    The dedication, commitment, and efforts of the city and barangay governments of Olongapo in local governance particularly on disaster risk reduction are in keeping with the Olongapo way for FIGHTING FOR EXCELLENCE.