The Province of Iloilo is set to host the two-day Interagency Territorial Defense Operations Exercise Pag-ugyon 2026 on June 16 and 17 in the municipalities of Miagao and San Joaquin. This exercise aims to test and strengthen the interoperability and preparedness of civilian and military agencies in responding to emergencies and disasters.
Collaborative Initiative
Colonel Leroy Daanton, deputy brigade commander of the 301st Infantry (Bayanihan) Brigade, stated that the exercise is a collaborative initiative involving the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the Provincial Government of Iloilo, local government units, and other partner agencies and stakeholders. During a press conference on June 10, 2026, at the Governor’s Board Room of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Daanton emphasized the importance of cooperation between government agencies in addressing various emergency situations.
“This exercise does not only focus on human-induced calamities such as war; it also allows us to apply our interoperability during natural disasters. Interoperability represents the collaboration between the military and civilian sectors,” Daanton said.
Evaluation of Protocols
Retired Police Colonel Cornelio Salinas, head of the Iloilo Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (IPDRRMO), said the exercise aims to evaluate the effectiveness of existing interoperability protocols and harmonize the operational procedures of participating agencies. “We want to test how effective our interoperability protocols are. The appropriate responses of the involved agencies will be put to the test. This is the first time such an exercise is being conducted in the Visayas region, and the Governor’s vision is to evaluate how we approach particular situations, testing the operational readiness of agencies and identifying aspects that need to be harmonized,” Salinas said.
He added that the exercise would also provide an opportunity to assess the performance of participating agencies through a post-activity evaluation. Following the first day of the exercise, an After-Action Review will take place on the second day to evaluate the events that occurred. This assessment will be carried out by the Office of Civil Defense in collaboration with national agencies.
Exercise Components
The Interagency Territorial Defense Operations Exercise Pag-ugyon 2026 consists of two major components: the Tabletop Exercise and the Field Training Exercises. The first phase, the Tabletop Exercise, was conducted on June 8, 2026, at Heroes Hall inside the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo) Building in the municipality of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo. This activity allowed participating agencies to examine possible scenarios, discuss response strategies, and identify coordination gaps before the actual field exercises.
The second phase, the Field Training Exercises, will be held in Miagao and San Joaquin. Participating agencies will carry out practical applications of protocols and standard operating procedures through simulated emergency scenarios. The exercise will focus on three major situations: civilian spillover, missile attack, and coastal defense. These scenarios are designed to test the readiness, coordination, and response capabilities of both civilian and military organizations during complex emergencies.
Goals and Expectations
Organizers said the exercise seeks to ensure that government agencies can respond quickly, effectively, and in a coordinated manner when emergencies and disasters occur. The activity also highlights the continuing efforts of national government agencies, local government units, and security forces to strengthen disaster preparedness, crisis management, and territorial defense capabilities through interagency collaboration.
Officials said the results of the exercise and the succeeding evaluation will help identify strengths, address operational gaps, and improve coordination mechanisms among participating agencies to enhance future emergency response operations throughout the region. The exercise is considered a landmark undertaking as it will be the first interagency territorial defense operations exercise of its kind conducted in the Visayas, bringing together military, law enforcement, disaster response, and local government sectors in a unified preparedness effort.
The Provincial Government of Iloilo and participating agencies expect the exercise to further improve coordination, operational readiness, and collective response capabilities in addressing both natural and human-induced emergencies, while promoting stronger partnerships among stakeholders responsible for public safety and security.
