Six-year-old hero cheered at Kalasag Awards

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Six-year-old hero cheered at Kalasag Awards

By Marvin Sy (philstar.com) Updated August 16, 2009 12:00 AM
From report of Philippine Star: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=496494

MANILA, Philippines - A six-year-old boy from Barangay Desawo in T'boli, South Cotabato stole the show at the 2009 Gawad Kalasag Awards last Wednesday at Malacañang's Rizal Hall.

Angelo Lungkay received the loudest cheers as he went up the stage to be recognized for his heroic deed. He was the youngest of this year's awardees.

Lungkay, accompanied by his parents, received the Heroic Deed individual category for rescuing other boys who were buried in a landslide due to heavy rains at the height of typhoon “Frank” in June last year.

He was also buried in the mud but he managed to free himself and dig his five companions out.

Sharing the limelight with Lungkay was 14-year-old Rodney Berdin from San Jose, Antique, who was honored for saving his mother and two siblings, also during the typhoon.

SFO1 Jaime Alcoriza, the fireman who died fighting a fire that gutted a commercial building in Cainta, Rizal last year, was also conferred the Heroic Deeds award. His family received the honor in his memory.

A total of 57 individuals and groups received this year's awards, which came with plaques, citations and cash awards.

Assisting President Arroyo in the ceremony were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Councils (PDCC) of the provinces of Albay, Antique and Davao del Norte bagged the Best PDCC award, while the City Disaster Coordinating Councils (CDCC) of Olongapo, Makati and Bacolod got the award in the Best Highly Urbanized category.

The CDCCs of Dagupan, Bayawan, Tagum and Legaspi bagged the Independent Component/ Component City category.

Winners for the Best Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council (MDCC) first to third class municipality category were the MDCCs of Calabanga, Camarines Sur; San Jose de Buenavista in Antique; Maragusan, Compostella Valley; while those for the fourth and sixth class municipality category were Guimbal, Iloilo; Lugait, Misamis Oriental; and St. Bernard, Southern Leyte.

The Best Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council (BDCC) in the urban barangay category were Barangay Maa (Poblacion, Davao City); Barangay Sta. Rita (Olongapo City); and, BarangayTangub (Bacolod City.

In the rural barangay category, the winners were Brgy. Poblacion, Tupi (South Cotabato); Brgy. Marcos (San Mateo, Isabela); and, Barangay Pis-anan (Sibalom, Antique).

The Gawad Kalasag for non-government organizations on Humanitarian Assistance was given to the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Antique; Child Sponsorship for Community Development and ABANTE Aklan.

The Best Private/Volunteer Organization was KABALIKAT BICOL, BB-PICAG and the 505th Search and Rescue Squadron.

The Bulacan Rescue 117, Baguio City Fire Station and the Baguio City Emergency Medical Services bagged the Best Government Emergency Managers award while the Abellana National High School, Agusan National High School and Daraga National High School won the Best School category; East Avenue Medical Center and Dr. Pablo Torres Memorial Hospital for the Best Hospital category.

Special Citations were given to INTERPOL Incident Response Team (Cebu), SBMA Fire Department Rescue Team, Makati Rescue, Amity Public safety Academy and the National Bureau of Investigation-Disaster Victim Identification Team.

Individual awardees included Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias and Albay Governor Joey Salceda, among others.

In 1998, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) initiated the Gawad Kalasag as a search for excellence in disaster and rescue management and humanitarian assistance.

The Gawad Kalasag aims to recognize individuals, groups or institutions that have shown extraordinary courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, and bravery against all odds in times of natural and human-induced emergencies and disasters.

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