Thirty-two local government units in Northern Mindanao earned gold recognition in the 2026 Gawad Kalasag, the Office of Civil Defense Region 10 announced on September 23, 2026. The awards honor local governments that exceeded standards for disaster risk reduction and management systems under national law.
According to OCD-10, gold went to 13 local governments in Bukidnon, eight in Lanao del Norte, six in Misamis Oriental, and two each in Misamis Occidental and Camiguin. Cagayan de Oro City likewise received gold under the Highly Urbanized City category for its local DRRM performance.
Another 30 local government units received silver recognition, including Iligan City in the Highly Urbanized City category. Seventeen others were recognized with bronze. Together, the gold, silver, and bronze lists show wide participation across the region’s provinces and cities in the annual awards cycle.
Gawad Kalasag recognizes excellence and innovation in disaster risk reduction and management and humanitarian assistance. It is led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council through the Office of Civil Defense and remains the country’s premier awards program in that field.
Gold recognition is given to local governments that exceeded the standards for establishing and operating their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and Local DRRM Offices. Those standards are set out in Sections 11 and 12 of Republic Act 10121, the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act.
OCD-Northern Mindanao said the recognition reflects continued efforts to strengthen local systems and help communities prepare for emergencies. For city and municipal officials, the award is both acknowledgment of existing work and encouragement to keep improving planning, coordination, and office capacity year after year.
Cagayan de Oro’s gold under the Highly Urbanized City category highlights compliance and performance at the scale of a major urban center. Iligan’s silver recognition in the same HUC grouping likewise marks substantial adherence to the functional requirements for local councils and DRRM offices under the law.
Framed as governance achievement, the 2026 results spotlight institutions rather than incident headlines. Strong councils and staffed offices are the backbone of preparedness: clear roles, trained personnel, and systems that can be activated when communities need coordinated support from local government.
Across Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, and the region’s highly urbanized cities, the spread of gold awards suggests preparedness work is not limited to a handful of large localities. Smaller municipalities appear alongside bigger cities on the official recognition list.
For residents of Northern Mindanao, the takeaway is institutional: dozens of local governments have been formally recognized for meeting or exceeding the national bar for DRRM structures. That shared recognition reinforces a regional culture of readiness rooted in law, local leadership, and sustained office capacity.
Source: Philippine News Agency (https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1284716) ; Mindanao Gold Star Daily (https://mindanaogoldstardaily.com/cdo-gets-gold-award-for-disaster-preparedness) ; Iligan News (https://www.iligannews.com/iligan-city-earns-silver-recognition-in-2026-gawad-kalasag/)
