The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) has named the 2025 Gawad Kalasag Special Awards winners in Central Luzon, recognizing their excellence in disaster preparedness, response, and risk reduction.

RDRRMC Chair and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Amador Corpus said the awards aim not only to commend outstanding DRRM efforts but also to assess the resilience of communities and institutions across the region.

“This is about evaluating and strengthening disaster preparedness efforts to build safer, empowered, and more resilient communities,” he said.

Key Winners:

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒎 – 𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅:
🥇 Palayan City Rescue (Nueva Ecija)
🥈 San Fernando Rescue Unit (Pampanga)
🥉 Bulacan Provincial DRRM Office

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒎 – 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄:
🥇 Gabaldon Municipal DRRM Office (Nueva Ecija)

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍:
🥇 Norzagaray Elementary School (Bulacan)
🥈 Banga Elementary School (Bulacan)
🥉 Don Nemencio Clemena Memorial School (Bulacan)

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍:
🥇 Camp Tinio National High School (Nueva Ecija)
🥈 Carlos F. Gonzales High School (Bulacan)
🥉 Muñoz National High School – Annex (Nueva Ecija)

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
🥇 Pampanga State University
🥈 Tarlac Agricultural University

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑳𝑮𝑼 𝑯𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍:
🏥 James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital (Olongapo City)

𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝑶𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
🚒 Tarlac Filipino-Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade

These awardees will go on to represent Central Luzon in the National Gawad Kalasag Awards.

Corpus also praised the Regional Selection Committee (RSC) for its role in the evaluation process. The RSC is composed of representatives from key government agencies, including the Philippine Army, BFP, DOH, DPWH, DSWD, DTI, PIA, PRO3, and the Philippine Red Cross.

Beyond recognition, the Gawad Kalasag Awards serve as a tool for evaluating local disaster preparedness and aligning DRRM programs with the standards outlined in RA 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. (PIA 3)