ILOILO City – More than a contest of skills, this year’s Regional Rescuelympics in Pototan, Iloilo has become a proving ground for Western Visayas’ capacity to mount unified disaster response operations.
Local disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMCs) from across the region gather on Aug. 24–25 not just to compete, but to demonstrate whether their training and coordination can withstand the pressure of real-life emergencies.
Alfonso Baldonado III, chief of the administrative and training division of the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), said the event aims to measure how well different rescue teams can work together despite coming from different towns and provinces.
“Their training will be tested, so that they can interoperate and be multifunctional. We are having the incident command system. That is why it is really a test of whether our responders can harmonize their training when it comes to a case-by-case situation,” he explained.
The competition includes water and collapsed structure search and rescue (SAR), vehicle extraction, communication components, and air-to-ground operations.
“The best of the best per province will showcase their skill sets when it comes to our categories,” Baldonado added.
Before the contests, breakout sessions tackled emerging technologies, new techniques, and best practices in disaster response — emphasizing the knowledge-sharing aspect of the event.
For its part, the Iloilo DRRMO fielded a 15-member contingent composed of responders from Pavia, Tigbauan, Carles, and Passi City.
Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-6 Director Raul Fernandez underscored the importance of the Rescuelympics as more than just a skills demonstration.
“Western Visayas is prone to various natural and human-induced hazards. In recognition of this, and the critical importance of robust SAR operations, the Rescuelympics will serve as a vital platform for knowledge sharing, practical skills demonstration, fostering camaraderie, and showcasing resources among regional rescue teams, particularly at the local levels,” Fernandez said.
The event is organized by OCD-6 in partnership with the Iloilo provincial and Pototan municipal governments./PN
