DISASTER response personnel from four towns in the province of Sulu began a three-day Incident Command System (ICS) training on Thursday, October 15, 2026, to strengthen coordination and preparedness for emergencies and disasters.
The training, held at the headquarters of the 1102nd Infantry Brigade (1102Bde) in Bual village, Luuk, Sulu, brought together disaster response personnel from the towns of Banguingui, Luuk, Omar and Panglima Estino.
The 1102Bde said the training aims to improve inter-agency coordination and establish a unified system for managing disaster response operations.
It is facilitated by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
The 1102Bde said the first-day sessions covered the establishment and designation of incident command facilities, preparation of incident check-in lists, personnel accountability, responder tracking and resource management.
The training participants were divided into two clusters, with sessions held simultaneously at the camp’s covered court and conference room.
The three-day activity seeks to strengthen interoperability among the participating towns and improve their capacity to carry out organized, coordinated and effective disaster response operations across the province of Sulu.
Brigadier General Alaric Avelino Delos Santos, 1102Bde commander, stressed the importance of sustained cooperation among local government units, disaster response agencies and security forces in protecting communities during emergencies.
Delos Santos said that disaster preparedness is a shared responsibility requiring clear leadership, coordinated action, and the active participation of all stakeholders.
Delos Santos said the brigade’s hosting of the training supports the LGU-Led, Security-Sector Supported, and Community-Based (LSC) Framework, which promotes collaboration among local governments, security institutions and communities in addressing local challenges.
The resource speakers of the training include representatives from OCD, the PDRRMO, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police, who discussed incident management procedures and emergency response protocols. (SunStar Zamboanga)