Photo By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Andrade | U.S. and Philippine government representatives pose for a group photo on the final day...... read more read more
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BASCO, Philippines – United States and Philippine government officials, alongside an advanced multi-disciplinary team of engineers and specialists, came together to conduct the Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, Multinational Energy Resilience and Readiness Tabletop Exercise on Basco Island in the Batanes Province of the Philippines, from April 21 to 25 2024. The TTX combined the in-depth experience and diverse background of subject matter experts to assess the capacity, resiliency, and functionality of energy and energy-dependent systems and infrastructure in the province of Batanes.
More than 11 organizations from across the U.S. Department of Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Batanes provincial and municipal governments came together in a collaborative effort to address scenarios developed by the Naval Postgraduate School to test readiness and encourage a whole-of-government approach to disaster response. The scenarios depicted natural disasters in the region, presenting a circumstance where Basco Island’s energy and water infrastructures are stressed beyond capacity.
“All these groups have specific interests, but, in reality, many of these interests are shared and overlap,” said Lt. Col. Joshua Cox, a lead planner with III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group. “Events like this allow groups to bring their concerns, issues, and planning efforts to the light. Once shared common interests are established, bridges between people and organizations can be built, and resources can be applied effectively and efficiently.”
The scenarios included a super typhoon impact and the aftermath of a major earthquake in the area. The participants then worked together to navigate the challenges presented by each scenario, making timely decisions to reestablish energy services while identifying shortfalls to guide future energy resilience investments.
“There are very unique considerations being on an island,” said Maj. Thomas Myers, a G9 future operations officer with the 3rd Civil Affairs Group. “Once you start to analyze what happens when power is disrupted, you look at all the services and all the capabilities that are also interrupted. Telecommunications, water, sewage, and electricity will all be affected. In this situation, we spent several days learning about [the Batanes] processes and procedures and seeing where we can bolster their response capability."
This iteration of JIIM marks the inaugural in a series of Indo-Pacific Command exercises focusing on energy-related initiatives. Its primary goals are to foster engagement with pivotal stakeholders, cultivate enduring partnerships essential for swift humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the region, and create collaborative avenues to address such risks preemptively before a crisis.
“We can’t do anything in this environment without partnering with the local community and government,” said Cox. “An event like this brings together community, government, and military planners from across the Western Pacific to be ready to respond as one to any emergency.”
The lessons learned from this exercise will serve as crucial inputs for evaluating, enhancing, and advising on policies, technologies, procedures, and project initiatives to bolster power grid resiliency during disasters. The next iteration of the TTX, slated for October 2024, aligns seamlessly with Exercise KAMANDAG 8, showcasing the Philippine government's unwavering dedication to safeguarding its citizens through ongoing collaboration and proactive measures.
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2024 01:03 |
| Story ID: | 469751 |
| Location: | BASCO, PH |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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