ILOILO — Authorities have advised residents and motorists in southern Iloilo to avoid designated exercise areas and brace for traffic disruptions as the province launches the first-ever Inter-Agency Territorial Defense Operations Exercise (ITDOEx) in the Visayas beginning Tuesday, June 16.
Dubbed “Pag-ugyon 2026,” the two-day military-civilian exercise will test Iloilo’s readiness to respond to territorial defense-related emergencies and potential civilian spillover scenarios, said Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Cornelio Salinas.
The drill will involve the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Joint Task Force “Spear,” local government units, and various government agencies.
The opening day will be held in Miag-ao town, featuring a simulated civilian spillover scenario in Barangay Sapa at 9:30 a.m. and a missile attack simulation in barangays Kirayan Tacas and Igtuba at 12:30 p.m.
On June 17, activities will shift to the adjacent municipality of San Joaquin, where coastal defense and anti-infiltration operations will be conducted in barangays Cata-an and Igcondao from 8 a.m. to noon.
To prevent alarm and ensure public safety, the local governments of Miag-ao and San Joaquin have issued advisories urging residents to follow traffic signs and instructions from authorities, observe safety precautions, avoid designated exercise areas, and cooperate with personnel involved in the drills.
“Motorists and residents are advised to expect heavy traffic congestion and intermittent road delays along the route from Poblacion to Kirayan Tacas due to the movement of military, police, emergency response units, and exercise-related equipment,” part of the advisory of the local government of Miag-ao read.
The San Joaquin Municipal Police Station likewise appealed for public understanding as increased military, police, and emergency response presence may slow traffic and cause temporary delays in affected areas.
“This activity is part of our continuing efforts to enhance interagency coordination, territorial defense readiness, and community security. We appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation,” it stated.
Earlier, Salinas urged the public not to panic over the heightened presence of security and emergency forces in southern Iloilo, stressing that the activities are only simulations aimed at strengthening preparedness and response capabilities.
“We do not want nga may public uproar, may traffic congestion, public disturbances. So, kinahanglan may mga layers of protection kami para wala public uproar, wala sang ma-jeopardize, wala sang ma-compromise nga daily activities,” Salinas said during a press conference on June 10.
The exercise will assess the effectiveness of the province’s emergency operations systems, incident management teams, response clusters, and partner agencies in handling large-scale displacement, humanitarian assistance, public safety concerns, medical emergencies, logistics support, and inter-agency coordination during a territorial defense-related crisis.
Following the drills, participating agencies, including the Office of Civil Defense, will conduct an after-action review to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
The exercise is being conducted under Executive Order No. 111, Series of 2025, issued by Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., institutionalizing the Provincial Community Defense Action framework./PN
