The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is eyeing to purchase some PHP30 million worth of equipment to boost its response capability.

PDRRMO chief Broderick Train said the province was second only to defending champion Capiz during the recent 2026 Western Visayas Regional Rescuelympics due to its lack of equipment.

The Regional Rescuelympics, organized by the Office of Civil Defense and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Western Visayas on July 26 to 28, served as a venue for rescue teams to sharpen their capabilities, learn from one another and strengthen coordination in responding to emergencies and disasters.

“There was a static display of the response capability of the provinces in Western Visayas and Capiz, which turned out champion, really had numerous pieces of equipment that we did not have,” he said in an interview on Thursday.

Train said they plan to purchase a boom truck, water tank, generator set, and mobile command center, a specialized vehicle that could relay real-time communication in disaster-affected areas.

He added that they can use the mobile command center during disaster education caravans in the province’s 590 barangays.

Nonetheless, Antique, which hosted the Rescuelympics, bested the four other provinces in the region in communication, coordination, and control incident management.

“Aside from the response capability equipment procurement that we are requesting, the PDRRMO will conduct more capacity trainings such as on lifesaving and road safety,” Train said.

The PDRRMO will propose to the local government of Caluya the holding of lifesaving training when they visit the island municipality in the second week of August.

He said that the training is needed to enhance the response capability of local DRRMOs. (PNA)