The different barangays of Burgos, La Union recently participated in a Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) on Drowning Incident Response on May 22, 2026 at Barangay Dalacdac aimed at strengthening community preparedness, coordination and emergency response capabilities during water-related emergencies.

The program formally started with the Welcome Remarks delivered by Ms. Ronilyn Capatas, DRRM-H Coordinator, who emphasized the importance of continuous training, preparedness and cooperation among barangays and responding agencies in saving lives during emergencies.

An Opening Message was also delivered by SFO4 Elmer Balala, Acting Fire Marshal of Burgos FS, who highlighted the significance of teamwork, discipline and proper emergency response procedures during drowning incidents and other disasters.

Hon. Arthur Cariño, Barangay Captain of Dalacdac and Hon. Efren Padillo, Barangay Captain of Delles, also expressed their support and appreciation to all participating responders, volunteers and partner agencies for their commitment to improving disaster response operations within their communities.

The simulation exercise gathered barangay officials, rescue volunteers, responders and partner agencies- MHO, PNP and BFP to simulate real-life drowning scenarios and evaluate the effectiveness of their emergency response procedures. The activity focused on rescue operations, emergency communication, victim retrieval, first aid management and coordination among responding teams.

Participating barangays demonstrated their preparedness and commitment in handling drowning emergencies through practical rescue simulations and response drills. The activity also served as an opportunity to identify strengths and areas that still need improvement in emergency response operations.

The organizers also extended their sincere gratitude to the evaluators and observers who provided valuable comments, recommendations and constructive feedback to further improve the response capabilities of the barangays during future emergencies and disaster situations.

The program concluded with the Closing Remarks delivered by PLT Eduardo Salio in behalf of PMAJ Renato A Gacad of Burgos MPS. In his message, he commended all participants and partner agencies for their active participation and encouraged everyone to continue strengthening collaboration, preparedness and disaster response efforts to ensure the safety and resilience of the community.

The successful conduct of the Simulation Exercise reflects the continued commitment of the Local Government Unit of Burgos, La Union headed by 𝐇𝐨𝐧. 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐧 𝐂. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐬, 𝐉𝐫. and its barangays in building safer, more prepared and disaster-resilient communities through continuous training and capacity-building activities.