Dinagat Islands gears up for live-fire war games

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — The waters off Dinagat Islands will host military live-fire war games this week, with the provincial government backing the drill.

Gov. Nilo Demerey Jr. issued Executive Order No. 10-05, enjoining provincial government employees to support and participate in activities lined up for the war games off Melgar Bay, dubbed “Exercise Surigao Sentinel 01-2026,” scheduled for October 22 to 25.

Demerey authorized provincial workers to file an “Official Business Authority” (OBA) to credit their participation as official duty, while ordering department heads to maintain skeleton staffing to ensure critical government services continue uninterrupted.

Spearheaded by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), the high-tempo, multi-domain war games featuring live-fire simulations carry the theme “Beyond the Strait: Converging Historical Legacy and Multi-Domain Security.”

The drill will test military, maritime, and civilian readiness across sea, air, and coastal fronts.

The highlight of the four-day maneuvers will take place on opening day, Oct. 22, when forces stage an offshore live-ammunition drill across Melgar Bay in Basilisa town.

READ: AFP stages war games

To safeguard the public, authorities will enforce strict maritime exclusion perimeters.

All fishing trips, inter-island boat crossings, leisure sailing and swimming will be prohibited within designated security zones while live fire is underway.

Philippine Coast Guard patrol craft, naval vessels and local disaster response teams will seal off the bay and reroute commercial sea traffic.

Eastmincom urged coastal communities, ferry operators and local fisherfolk to steer clear of the restricted area and heed advisories issued by ground security forces.

The command said selected portions of the maneuvers would instead be livestreamed on its official Facebook page so residents could watch from safety.

Disruptions will also extend onshore, with local authorities finalizing planned class suspensions across affected school districts as part of the drill.

Organized in commemoration of the historic World War II Battle of Surigao Strait, the joint exercise brings together military branches, maritime forces, law enforcement, and local government units to fortify regional territorial defense and civilian disaster resilience. /mcm