APALIT, Pampanga — Demonstrating unparalleled excellence, preparedness, and discipline, the Province of Pampanga was once again hailed Over-All Champion in the recently concluded Central Luzon Regional Rescue Challenge 2025, organized by the Office of Civil Defense-Region III.
This marks Pampanga’s back-to-back win, solidifying its standing as a leader in disaster preparedness and emergency response in the region.
Held over four days of intense and highly competitive activities, the event brought together rescue teams from five provinces in Central Luzon — Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. These teams were tested through a series of simulated emergency scenarios that aimed to evaluate their skills, teamwork, and readiness in life-saving operations.
“We have done it here in celebration of the national disaster risk resilience month, the month of July usually ang NDRM month ng OCD. So napaka important ng activity na ito dahil it will serve as a wake-up call, an inspiration to all the residents in central Luzon na napapakita natin na hindi natutulog ang mga DRRMO officers at naghahanda sa mga nakita natin ngayon ay talagang desidido silang harapin anumang sakunang darating sa central luzon,” said OCD-3 director Amador Corpus.
Team Pampanga demonstrated excellence across various categories, including Water Search and Rescue (WASAR), Mountain Search and Rescue (MOSAR), Collapse Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR), and Mass Casualty Incident (MCI). Team Pampanga earned a trophy, certificate, and ₱30,000 cash prize.
Aurora took the top spot in WASAR, with Pampanga placing as first runner-up. In MOSAR, Bulacan secured the top spot, followed by Aurora and Pampanga. Pampanga claimed victory in both the CSSR and MCI categories, with Bulacan closely following in second place.
“Siyempre, nagpapasalamat po tayo sa lahat po ng tumulong. Of course, ang Province of Pampanga na pinamumunuan po nina Gov. Nanay Pineda and Vice Gov. Delta Pineda. Ultimately, dahil sa pagtutulungan po ng bawat isa at lahat ng rescue teams ng province of Pampanga, tayo po ay tinanghal bilang over-all-champion dito at best in mass casualty incident at best in collapsed structure search and tescue,” said Raymond Del Rosario, president of the Pampanga LDRRM Officers Association.
The Central Luzon Regional Rescue Challenge is an annual initiative of the OCD Region III aimed at promoting excellence and preparedness among local emergency response teams. It also serves as a vital platform for inter-provincial coordination and capacity-building in disaster response operations.
As Pampanga celebrates this remarkable back-to-back triumph, it sends a strong message of resilience and hope that in times of crisis, its people are ready to rise, respond, and save lives. Pampanga PIO
