SIFCARE Volunteers Forge Resilience: Local Volunteers Complete Basic Disaster Preparedness Training

San Juan, La Union | November 3, 2025 —
SIFCARE successfully hosted a highly productive Disaster Preparedness Training yesterday, bringing together a dedicated group of volunteers, including teams from SIFCare (with representatives from
La Union, Baguio and Pagasinan), DOERS, CURMA, and friends from the Surftown community. Present during the event were SIFcare Regional Coordinator Ma’am Mila Celeste and SIFCare Programs Specialist, Sir Toby Tamayo to give encouragement to the participants.

The 6 hour training session was led by WISAR Co-Founder and SIFCare volunteer Mr. Vicente “Buboy” Lagunday. Sir Buboy’s deep, real-world expertise and long experience in search and rescue operations are what qualify him to teach these critical skills. His knowledge, which blends technical competence with compassion, served as a powerful model for the mission and vision of volunteer leadership.

Participants learned vital, basic emergency skills and knowledge that are paramount in a disaster-prone country like the Philippines. The training covered essential, life-saving techniques, including:

CPR
Trauma care and stabilizarion
Go-Bag preparation and essentials
In the Philippines, preparedness is not an option; it is a necessity. Every trained individual becomes a resource, strengthening the resilience of their entire neighborhood. This event was a perfect reflection of SIFCARE’s mission to foster action motivated by compassion. It also showcased the power of local partnerships, having been held at the Project CURMA Information Center, a valued co-volunteer organization.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Sir Buboy Lagunday for sharing his invaluable knowledge and expertise. A huge thank you also goes out to every volunteer and participant who dedicated their Sunday to service. Your commitment to preparedness is the truest form of community wellness.

We encourage everyone inspired by this initiative to step forward. True volunteer leadership begins with the knowledge to save a life. Join us for Part 2 of the training as we continue to build a network of prepared, compassionate citizens.