TACLOBAN CITY — Eighty-seven responders from across Eastern Visayas put their urban search and rescue skills to the test in a simulated disaster exercise, capping the 10-day Pacific Partnership 2026 USAR training on 23 September.

Held at Headquarters Task Group Tacloban, the simulation brought together personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and Army reservists.

The exercise allowed the participants to apply skills learned during the training, including rope rescue, collapsed-structure search and rescue, victim location and structural assessment.

More than technical skills, the simulation tested how responders from different agencies could work as one team during an emergency, particularly in communication, coordination, command and control.

The training is particularly relevant to Eastern Visayas, which is frequently exposed to typhoons, storm surges, flooding, landslides and earthquakes.

Tacloban and surrounding communities were devastated by super typhoon “Haiyan,” locally known as “Yolanda,” in 2013, underscoring the need for a trained and coordinated disaster response network.

The Philippine Army said the USAR training and culminating exercise strengthened the specialized capabilities and interoperability of responders who may be called upon to act together during future disasters.

The Pacific Partnership 2026 activity also provided Philippine responders an opportunity to work alongside partner nations and exchange expertise in urban search and rescue.

The Army said the skills and partnerships developed through the training would help improve the region’s preparedness and ability to respond to emergencies and protect affected communities.