ILOILO — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has yet to determine whether emergency responders can effectively handle a major aircraft disaster at Iloilo International Airport, despite declaring October 28’s full-scale crash simulation successful.
CAAP Area Center VI Acting Manager Engr. Diego Eric L. Abecendario acknowledged that shortcomings are inevitable in disaster response exercises and said a final evaluation involving participating agencies would identify operational weaknesses requiring corrective action.
Wednesday’s exercise, which temporarily halted airport operations for three and a half hours, mobilized emergency personnel from at least 13 local government units (LGUs) to test their ability to coordinate rescue operations, manage mass casualties and transport victims to hospitals.
“Tanan nga drill may adjustment, wala perfect. May ara gid na kakulangan, gina-identify naton ina. Pero sa subong ‘di pa naton ina mahatag nga gaps. May final critique pa kita, but the drill ran smoothly and very successful,” Abecendario said.
He stressed that the exercise’s principal objective was to determine how effectively government agencies and emergency responders could work together during an actual aviation disaster.
Although the exercise proceeded without major reported difficulties, Abecendario said the participating agencies must still conduct a comprehensive assessment before CAAP can identify specific deficiencies in emergency procedures.
The simulation involved a catastrophic aircraft crash scenario in which the plane’s tail section supposedly landed in Barangay Consolacion, San Miguel, Iloilo, while its main fuselage crashed within the airport complex.
The two-location scenario was designed to test whether rescue teams could simultaneously manage separate disaster sites, coordinate communications across jurisdictions and prioritize medical assistance for multiple casualties.
Emergency response units from at least 13 neighboring LGUs participated, deploying dozens of ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.
The exercise also tested the movement of simulated casualties from the crash sites to tertiary hospitals in Iloilo City, including emergency transport procedures, coordination with receiving medical facilities and traffic management along designated routes.
The simultaneous deployment of responders provided an opportunity to evaluate whether available emergency resources and inter-agency communication systems would be sufficient during a large-scale aviation emergency.
Airport rescue and firefighting personnel were likewise evaluated on their deployment speed and ability to coordinate with municipal emergency teams.
CAAP suspended flight operations from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to allow responders to conduct the exercise safely.
Commercial airlines had been informed beforehand of the temporary closure, allowing affected passengers to adjust their travel arrangements through their respective carriers.
CAAP also advised the public that the heavy movement of ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles around the airport was part of the simulation and did not indicate an actual aircraft accident.
Despite the pending evaluation, Abecendario described the overall conduct of the exercise as successful.
Full-scale emergency exercises are conducted every two years as part of the airport’s certification requirements and continuing compliance with aviation safety regulations./PN
Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection Region 6 and local disaster response teams, including Cabatuan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, execute fire suppression and mass casualty triage procedures during a full-scale aircraft crash simulation at the Iloilo International Airport on Oct. 28, 2026. Organized by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the exercise evaluates inter-agency coordination, victim transport, and emergency medical response gaps during major aviation disasters. BFP REGION 6 | CABATUAN MDRRMO PHOTOS
