The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Calabanga, in partnership with the Environment, Disaster Management, and Emergency Response Office (EDMERO), successfully conducted a 5-day Incident Command System – Position Course (ICSPC) Training from June 23 to 27, 2025, at the Divine Mercy Parish Center, Paolbo, Calabanga.
The Level 3 ICS training, participated in by MDRRM council members comprising personnel from the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, members of the academe, and local government unit employees, gained in-depth knowledge, skills, and attitude relevant to applying the different positions within the Incident Management Team (IMT). It also highlighted the roles and responsibilities of the Incident Commander, Operations Section, Logistics Section, Finance and Administration Section, and Command Staff.
“Digdi sa training, nakapaloob si different positions sa Incident Management Team. Sa level na ini, sinasaro-saro ming i-discuss sa mga participants ang bawat position na yaon sa structure, para pag nag-activate sinda ning IMT, aram ninda ang magiging roles and responsibilities ninda, then aram ninda kung ano su mga forms na kaipuhan nindang matapos, gibuhon, and mai-submit para mahaman ninda itong Incident Action Plan,” detailed John Manaog, Public Safety Unit Head of EDMERO, and one of the training instructors.
He furthered, “Ang importance kaini, magiging aware sinda sa magiging trabaho ninda kasi very critical yan na dapat aram ninda ang mga positions and functions para maging smooth ang operation lalo na ang safety kang mga tao na tigde-deploy ninda during operation. Kaipuhan man na ma-involve sinda sa mga actual operations para mas maging knowledgeable sinda and magamay ninda ang mga positions.”
The training also featured interactive lecture discussions, workshops, structured learning exercises, and demonstrations, broken down into different modules with a series of learning sessions.
F02 Abigail Ann Sara, Public Information Officer/Fire Arson Investigator/Operation Clerk of Calabanga Fire Station, shared, “Kadakol po kaming nanudan— from Basic ICS to Level 3 Position Course, gradual su learning. Mas naiintindihan mi na, mas nada-digest mi na ang importance kayan lalo na digdi sa LGU Calabanga kasi inaapply mi talaga ang ICS every time may incident, disaster, or upcoming events. Dahil digdi, mas organized ang management concept, and dahil naka-unified command kami, we work as a team, we work as one.”
“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa Provincial Government of CamSur, sa EDMERO, sa mga instructors and cadres na nagpapadagos magtukdo ning ICS sa bilog na probinsya para mas ma-spread si learning and awareness tungkol sa ICS para mas organized, aram ang gigibuhon, and may preparation,” added F02 Sara.
Another participant is Benedicto Calisura, Jr., Zoning Officer from the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator of LGU Calabanga. For him, “Ang kagayunan po kaining training, nahihiling ta ang pagkakaiba kang mere planning na kadakol loopholes kaysa sa ICS planning na may sinusunod na steps and protocols. So, from getting the initial data, initial meeting, planning, strategy, and implementation, yaon gabos nakapalaman sa training. Mahihiling mo digdi kung ano ang position sa IMT na lalaogan mo.”
Calisura, who used to work as Planning Section Chief during their actual operations, reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the Provincial Government when it needs augmentation during disasters and incidents. He believes that the skills and knowledge from the training are enhanced when applied in real-world scenarios.
The training concluded with a demonstration of Operational Period Briefing (OPB), where participants were assigned to various IMT positions, showcasing their specific roles during operations. Upon completion of the Position Course training, participants will progress to Level 4 of the ICS training or the All-Hazards Incident Management Team (AHIMT).
To fully strengthen the local DRRM, the Provincial Government is continuously cascading and rolling out capacity-building trainings, such as the ladderized courses of the Incident Command System, to municipalities across Camarines Sur, aiming for a more prepared and resilient province.
