Reservists meet Caine, discuss disaster response in Luzon, provinces as La Niña looms
An association of reservists ready to respond to disasters in Luzon and the provinces recently met US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine to enhance humanitarian and disaster-response coordination, particularly now that the Philippines may face a higher number of tropical cyclones and heavier rainfall in the last quarter of 2025 due to the increasing probability of La Niña.
Former House Deputy Speaker and Philippine Air Force reserve Col. Mikee Romero, in a statement, said he is convinced that the Association of Reservists and Reserve Officers of the Philippines (ARRAPI) can enhance its own humanitarian and disaster-response coordination with the meeting.
CAINE (left) and ROMERO (ARRAPI)
Romero said he is looking forward to a joint training and exchange programs with US counterparts to bolster its own capability to respond during calamities.
Caine and Romero emphasized their importance in addressing today’s security and humanitarian challenges.
Romero said his talk with Caine was one big step towards strengthening the cooperation between American citizen-soldiers and the AFP reserve force.
The former party-list congressman was among the 25 senior officers of the AFP and ARRAPI who participated in the recent 147th National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) General Assembly and Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Caine was a keynote speaker.
Caine underscored his intent to visit the country someday, a gesture that delighted the PH delegation.
Romero and fellow reservists recently took part in flood relief missions in Bulacan where they helped evacuate over 7,500 people displaced by tropical storm ‘’Crising.’’
As senior deputy speaker and vice chairman of the bicameral conference committee, Romero was instrumental in securing funding for three C-130J-30 Hercules aircraft in 2022, critical assets for tactical airlift, logistics, and disaster-response missions. These aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2027.