Iloilo concludes historic ITDOEx Pag-Ugyon 2026
By Vincent P. Grecia
The Iloilo Provincial Government, in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the local government units of Miagao and San Joaquin, successfully concluded the two-day Inter-Agency Territorial Defense Operations Exercise (ITDOEx) “Pag-Ugyon 2026” held on June 16–17.
The pioneering exercise—the first of its kind in the Visayas—strengthened the capacity and coordination of local government units in managing crises such as mass evacuations, responding to attacks, and restoring public peace and order.
Anchored on Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s Executive Order No. 111, Series of 2025, which institutes 4K for MoRProGRes (Kapayapaan, Kaayusan at Katatagan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Bagong Pilipinas), the exercise demonstrated a system of intensified, integrated, and collaborative community action to address internal and external threats, disasters, pandemics, and other emergencies.
Governor Defensor, in his closing remarks, expressed deep gratitude to all participating agencies, stakeholders, and partners for their invaluable support.
“More than saying congratulations for the successful staging of this exercise, I say thank you for your participation and all-out cooperation,” Defensor emphasized. “What we have highlighted here is the importance of interagency coordination in times of emergencies—whether natural or man-made. Indeed, together we prepare, together we prevail.”
The governor’s statement framed the exercise not only as a test of readiness but also as a testament to the collective will of the province to safeguard peace and resilience.
The closing ceremony was graced by South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., National President of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), who commended Iloilo’s initiative as a model worth replicating nationwide.
Over two days, the simulation assessed the effectiveness of the Provincial Community Defense Action, Emergency Operations Center, Incident Management Teams, response clusters, and partner agencies in managing large-scale displacement, humanitarian assistance, public safety, medical emergencies, logistics support, and inter-agency coordination.
Three scenarios were staged: civilian spillover management in Brgy. Sapa and Kirayan Norte, Miagao; a missile attack response in Brgy. Igtuba and Kirayan Tacas, Miagao; and coastal defense and anti-infiltration operations in Barangays Igcondao and Cata-an, San Joaquin.
Mayors Oscar Richard Garin of Miagao and Jose Abad Lazaro of San Joaquin thanked Governor Defensor for making their towns part of the historic exercise. Senior AFP officials, including Major General Elmer Suderio, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, 3rd Infantry Division Commander Major General Michael G. Samson, and 301st Brigade Commander BGen Nhel Richard E. Patricio, also lauded the provincial government’s leadership and the strong participation of all agencies.
