The Iloilo City Government plans to strengthen the disaster response capabilities of its emergency units following a suspected toxic chemical leak incident in Sibalom, Antique that downed nearly 300 students.
Mayor Raisa Treñas said there is a need to enhance specific training components for personnel under the Iloilo City Emergency Response (ICER) Team, based on the assessment of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Donna Magno.
Treñas has begun identifying key Capacity Development (CapDev) needs to determine how the city can better prepare for similar chemical-related emergencies.
Last week, 287 students from Barangay Pis-anan in Sibalom, Antique were hospitalized after fainting due to a foul chemical odor that spread in their school.
While Iloilo City initially planned to dispatch a response team and hazardous materials (HazMat) experts to Antique, the deployment did not push through.
However, Treñas emphasized that the CDRRMO already has trained personnel capable of identifying hazardous chemicals and responding to such emergencies.
“This is a reminder that preparedness must be proactive,” Treñas said. “We must continue strengthening our emergency teams—not just for our city, but so we are ready to assist if other areas need help.”IMT
