A total of 79 personnel from military, law enforcement, and emergency response agencies participated in an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) training under the Pacific Partnership 2026 program, held from September 14, 2026, at HTG Tacloban, Barangays 1 and 2, Libertad, Tacloban City.
The training was announced September 16, 2026, from Camp Lukban in Catbalogan City, Samar, according to the Philippine Army public affairs office.
Multi-Agency Turnout Across Military, Fire, and Civil Services
Participants were drawn from a broad cross-section of national agencies and local emergency offices. According to the announcement released by Camp Lukban, the breakdown of participants was as follows: 26 from the Philippine Army, 10 from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), 10 Army Reservists, 8 from the Philippine Air Force, 7 from the Philippine National Police (PNP), 7 from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) of Ormoc, 6 from the Philippine Coast Guard, and 5 from TACRU-CDRRMO.
Personnel from the U.S. Navy also participated, reflecting the international dimension of the Pacific Partnership 2026 program.
Technical Skills at the Core of the Curriculum
The training covered a wide range of USAR techniques and procedures. According to the Camp Lukban statement, sessions included instruction on marking systems, search and locate techniques for rope operations, knot tying, victim packaging, shortening systems, line-pattern and cross-pattern searches, rope works, ascending and descending rope courses, mechanical advantage systems, and ground-school hauling techniques.
The curriculum was designed to sharpen both individual technical competency and collective operational coordination among agencies that would typically work side by side during actual disaster responses.
Interoperability Between Agencies a Central Goal
Beyond the technical drills, the training served as a platform for responders from different sectors — military, law enforcement, fire service, maritime, and local disaster management — to exchange knowledge and reinforce working relationships, the Camp Lukban office said.
The activity emphasized the importance of interoperability: the capacity of agencies with different mandates, chains of command, and standard operating procedures to function as a unified team during high-stakes emergencies requiring specialized search and rescue capabilities.
Pacific Partnership 2026 Extends Beyond Exercises
The USAR training is one component of the broader Pacific Partnership 2026 program, a multinational initiative that pairs U.S. military assets and personnel with partner-nation agencies to build humanitarian assistance and disaster response capacity across the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the Camp Lukban statement, the Pacific Partnership activities "go beyond training exercises" by providing an opportunity to build lasting relationships, enhance disaster preparedness, and strengthen the ability of partners to respond to humanitarian challenges.
The ongoing conduct of the USAR training, the statement added, "demonstrates the continuing commitment of participating agencies and units to strengthen disaster preparedness, enhance emergency response capabilities, and promote cooperation among local, national, and international partners."
By the Numbers
- 79 — total personnel who participated in the USAR training
- 26 — Philippine Army personnel, the largest contingent
- 10 — Bureau of Fire Protection personnel
- 10 — Army Reservists
- 8 — Philippine Air Force personnel
- 7 — PNP personnel
- 7 — CDRRMO Ormoc personnel
- 6 — Philippine Coast Guard personnel
- 5 — TACRU-CDRRMO personnel
- September 14, 2026 — training start date
- 8 — distinct agencies and units represented
Why This Matters
The Philippines is among the world's most disaster-prone countries, and Eastern Visayas — the region that includes Tacloban City — has repeatedly borne the brunt of catastrophic typhoons and other emergencies. Training 79 responders from eight distinct agencies in unified USAR techniques directly strengthens the country's capacity to save lives when buildings collapse or communities are cut off during disasters.
The integration of U.S. Navy personnel alongside Philippine military, police, fire, coast guard, and local disaster management units also reinforces the bilateral cooperation framework under Pacific Partnership 2026, which aims to make joint humanitarian responses faster and more effective across the Indo-Pacific.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the Philippine Army / Camp Lukban Public Affairs Office