On September 9, 2026, A-PAD Philippines conducted a simulation exercise in Oton, Iloilo province, Western Visayas, simulating a high-risk chemical accident and a traffic accident resulting in multiple casualties. Approximately 300 emergency response personnel, medical professionals, disaster experts, and volunteers from more than 30 agencies and local governments participated. This was one of the largest cross-sectoral disaster exercises ever conducted in Western Visayas.

The purpose of this exercise was to verify local response procedures, communication between government and private sectors and related organizations, and the structure of the Incident Command System (ICS) under emergencies. The exercise included on-site safety measures, search, rescue and transportation, response to chemical exposure, triage, and emergency medical response.

The specialized Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) response training involved response personnel identifying chemical hazards, establishing safe zones, and training in treating patients contaminated with chemicals while ensuring the safety of emergency response personnel and surrounding residents.

The lessons learned and operational challenges identified in this training will be used to improve local disaster response procedures, streamline communication between relevant agencies, and enhance the overall emergency response capabilities of the Western Visayas region.

This activity was supported by the Japan NGO Grant Assistance Cooperation Project. A-PAD Management Office staff participated in the training and post-training session as observers.