A total of 50 Philippine Army reservists on Sunday completed a nine-week training program on emergency response for natural and man-made disasters and calamities.
The Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue Training Course (CSSRT) which started November, last year was joined by five reserve officers and 45 non-commissioned officers (NCO).
Both officers and NCOs were given merit for their participation during a commencement activity on Sunday at the Reservist Multipurpose Hall inside Camp Bernido in Tagbilaran City.
The training course was organized by the 702nd Community Defense Center of the 7th Regional Community Defense Group and the Army Reserve Command in coordination with TARSIER 117 (Telephone and Radio System Integrated Emergency Response), the provincial government’s emergency response unit.
According to 1st Lieutenant Fausto Budlong, commander of the Headquarters Company of the 702nd Bohol Ready Reserve Battalion, the activity was the first CSSRT conducted in Bohol.
“Perhaps there are more trainings to come and we wish you still have the interest to open yourselves for additional knowledge with the army’s core purpose of serving the people,” said Budlong.
The training focused on enhancing the participants’ capability to search and save victims stranded in collapsed structures, he added.
In 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake left hundreds of people dead in Bohol and neighboring provinces.
The strong tremor toppled many structures burying some victims beneath rubble. (R. Tutas)