DAVAO CITY – Responders from the local government of Kabacan in Cotabato topped the 6th Gov. Lala Simulation Exercise (SimEx) on mass casualty incidents in Banisilan, Cotabato from July 26 to 31.

The Kabacan Incident Quick Response Team (KIQRT) outperformed their counterparts from different towns in most of the disciplines during the competition.

The KIQRT was also the Best in Swift Water/River Crossing, Best in Hailing, Best in Low Angle Rescue, and Best in Emergency Transfer, List, and Carries.

Responders from Matalam placed second after earning the Best in Patient Management and Best in Extrication in the Mass Casualty for Earthquake, Landslide, and Flooding Incidents. Third was responders from Pikit which was the Best in Transfer, Coordination, and Endorsement in the same scenario.

In the same scenario, responders from Tulunan were Best in Camp Management; Makilala as Best Organized Team, and Best in Search and Rescue Uniform was also awarded to responders from Antipas and Makilala.

Special awards were given under the Mass Casualty Incident and Vehicular Crash to responders from Kabacan for Best in Extrication; Arakan for Best in Triage; M’lang for Best in Patient Management, and Pikit for Best in Transfer, Coordination, and Endorsement.

The five-day activity was part of the provincial government’s effort to hone the skills of every responder in the province in man-made disasters and geohazards.

According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the simulation exercises also aim to identify the competencies of all Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and partner-agencies in the province in managing events or incidents.

The PDRRMO acknowledged that the province is exposed to a wide range of natural and human-induced hazards, necessitating a high level of preparedness among responders and stakeholders.

“With its strategic locations and expanding road networks, the province continues to experience increasing risks of vehicular accidents that may result in mass casualty incidents,” the PDRRMO said.

The agency noted that the province lies in a seismically active region, making it vulnerable to earthquakes that may trigger secondary hazards such as flooding, landslides, and infrastructure collapse.

“These realities underscore the need for continuous capacity building, interventions, particularly simulation exercises that replicate real-life emergency scenarios and test the readiness of response systems at all levels,” PDRRMO said.

Banisilan Mayor Arlene Alisasis said that the local government is grateful for being chosen as the host of the activity.

“Calamities could strike anytime and anywhere, we cannot predict when disasters could strike. That is why we have to always be prepared, we should remain united because there are no challenges that we cannot overcome,” Alisasis said.