On October 1-2, 2026, The Office of Civil Defence (OCD) conducted the National Incident Command System Summit 2026 with the Theme “Strengthening Standards, Competencies, and Quality in ICS Implementation”. The summit consists of two major components. First, a two-day ICS Refresher Course conducted with the United States Fire Service (USFS) for selected ICS cadres and practitioners. Second, the National ICS Summit Proper held at the Heritage Hotel Manila in Pasay City.
The 2026 National ICS Summit serves as a national platform to identify and address recurring issues and concerns in ICS training and implementation, clarify and harmonize ICS concepts and practices, strengthen instructor and practitioner competency, and develop priority actions for the continuing improvement of the Philippine ICS Program.
The Summit provides a structured national mechanism for the review, clarification, harmonization, and enhancement of ICS training and implementation in the Philippines, with emphasis on maintaining doctrinal consistency, strengthening competencies, improving quality assurance, and enhancing operational application.
During the National ICS Summit Proper, the private sector, represented by the ARISE Philippines Serves as one of the facilitator, resource person and panelist, highlighting the vital role of the private sector in disaster preparedness, response, and resilience-building.
ARISE Philippines Chairperson, Vice Admiral Alexander P. Pama (Ret.) shared his expertise, experiences, and perspectives on ICS Implementation in the Private Sector, and Executive Director, Dr. Joseph Bacareza helped guide discussions on identifying the gaps between ICS Course completion and operational performance that shaped the summit’s recommendations and action agenda.
ARISE Philippines looks forward to the continuous enhancement of the Philippine ICS Program through strengthened standards, improved competencies, and more effective operational application. ARISE Philippines reaffirm the private sector’s commitment to supporting government efforts in strengthening incident management capabilities and foster public-private collaboration toward a more resilient and disaster-ready Philippines.
