PNP, PCG boost WASAR training ahead of typhoon season

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

AS the rainy and typhoon seasons approach, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bicol are ramping up joint efforts to enhance their water-based disaster response capabilities through intensified Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) training.

Police Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, regional director of Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5), said the initiative is part of ongoing disaster preparedness efforts following the devastation caused by Typhoon Kristine on October 22, 2024—deemed the worst flooding in Albay and Camarines Sur in the past 50 years.

The five-day WASAR training seminar, held at Morales Beach Resort in Barangay Sogod, Bacacay, Albay, includes practical, hands-on instruction in boat handling, water-based rescue techniques, and life-saving skills. Fifty police personnel from PRO5 are participating in the training.

“This seminar is designed to further strengthen the disaster response capabilities of our personnel, particularly in flood-prone and coastal areas,” said Dizon.

The training covers essential competencies such as swimming strokes, life-saving methods, rescue approaches, and lock-and-release techniques—all vital for effective response to drowning incidents and other water-related emergencies.

Commodore Ivan E. Roldan, commander of the Coast Guard District Bicol, emphasized that the program also enhances inter-agency coordination for disaster preparedness and response across the region.

“The WASAR initiative reflects our commitment to building a stronger and more responsive network of trained rescuers. We are seeing the ripple effect as trained personnel begin sharing their knowledge,” Roldan said.

He noted that last month’s “Train the Trainers” program—also a joint effort of the PNP and PCG—has enabled personnel to cascade their expertise to their peers.

“This ongoing seminar is a direct result of those earlier efforts, and it underscores our goal of institutionalizing disaster preparedness through knowledge-sharing and continuous training,” he added.

Personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bicol undergo intensified Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) training to boost their capacity in responding to water-related emergencies ahead of the expected onset of inclement weather in the region. (Photos courtesy of PNP Bicol Public Information Office)