AFP conducts Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response exercises

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jul 23): AFP conducts Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response exercises

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) commenced today its three-day humanitarian assistance and disaster response exercise (HADRX) to further enhance the capabilities of its responders in handling situations related to natural calamities.

In accordance with AFP’s Contingency Plan, “Pagyanig”, formulated in anticipation of the threat of a magnitude 7 earthquake which experts say might originate from the West Valley Fault, the HADRX concentrates on Joint Operations Planning and Simulated Execution of the Search, Rescue and Retrieval (SRR) Operations of the AFP.

The following capabilities of the AFP will also be tested in the course of the HADRX: AFP Battle Staff in managing the operations including the running of Multi-National and Coordinating Council (MNCC) and Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC); Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) in providing command and control among troops deployed in respective sectors; Communications, Electronics, and Information Systems Service AFP (CEISSAFP) in providing communications during a 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake scenario; Major Services in providing forces for Search, Rescue and Retrieval (SRR) as well as engineer units in support to HADR operations; Unified Commands and Joint Task Force in providing follow on forces.

The HADRX is expected to help AFP refine its tasked units’ implementing plan, which will be the basis for the conduct of a separate Mobilization Exercise (MOBEX) scheduled on 28 July 2015.

A total of 100 participants composed of personnel from the training audiences (AFP Battle Staff, HADR Crisis Action Team, Unified Commands, Major Services, and AFP-Wide Service Support Units), Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), panelists, facilitators and support staff will partake in the exercises.

Prior to the HADRX, the Joint Task Force National Capital Region (JTF NCR) had its Earthquake and Landslide Search and Rescue Orientation Course (ELSAROC) in June to ensure that military responders will be able to respond to communities, which might be affected by calamities.

AFP officers and enlisted personnel also underwent Flood Incident and Response Training (FIRST), Emergency Response Training (ERT) and Incident Command System (ICS) Training in May to prepare for flood incidents and other calamities.

The JTF-NCR also has an existing HADR Plan “Sagip Tulong 2”, an Implementing Plan to GHQ; AFP Operational Plan “TULONG-BAYANIHAN” alongside Contingency Plan “Pagyanig”.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2981437552712/afp-conducts-humanitarian-assistance-and-disaster-response-exercises