ILOILO City – The full-scale emergency exercise by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)-Iloilo has been a success.
On Friday afternoon, CAAP-Iloilo, together with the host local government unit of Santa Barbara and its Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), simulated a malfunctioning engine due to a bird strike on an aircraft that had just taken off the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan bound for Metro Manila.
In the scenario, the aircraft’s pilot informed the control tower of CAAP-Iloilo of experiencing engine trouble. After this, the management of CAAP-Iloilo sent a text blast and emergency information to all rescuers, firefighters, ambulances, and hospitals near the airport.
After a few minutes, the pilot again contacted the control tower following an escalation to an engine fire until the aircraft crashed in Barangay Cabugao Sur, Santa Barbara.
Art Parreño, CAAP-Iloilo Airport terminal supervisor, commended the smooth emergency management of the rescuers, who, in light of the emergency, designated MDRRMO-Santa Barbara head Bryan Suplido as the incident commander.
“Maayo ang pagkamada sang aton rescuers sa staging area as well as firefighters and fire trucks,” Parreño told Panay News.
More than 30 ambulances from the LGUs of Santa Barbara, Cabatuan, San Miguel, and Pavia, including ambulances from different hospitals, responded to “injured passengers.”
Fire trucks from various stations and fire volunteer groups from Iloilo City also came to aid.
“We did this to set the tone for any emergency that will happen in the future in coordination with other LGUs. That is to make our response immediate and as fast as possible to save lives,” said Parreño.
Personnel from the Aerodrome and Air Navigation Services Oversight Office in Metro Manila were present to observe the emergency exercise.
Also in the area to supervise were the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Air Force, National Telecommunications Commission, and Department of Health Region 6.
Parreño said the OCD, MDRRMO-Santa Barbara, and CAAP-Iloilo will convene for a post-assessment to identify the gaps that need to be addressed.
He also thanked all stakeholders who participated in the emergency exercise.
Held every two years, the activity also complies with the grant and retention of the Aerodrome Certification status of Iloilo Airport.
During the conduct, airport operations were temporarily suspended, particularly aircraft departure and arrival. CAAP-Iloilo issued a notice to airmen prior.
Based on CAAP-Iloilo data, the average number of flights catered by the Iloilo airport is 50—25 for departure and 25 for arrival.
Among the routes served by the airport are Metro Manila, Cebu, Palawan, Clark Pampanga, and Davao./PN
