The Office of Trade Negotiations, Executive Yuan, the National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ROC, and the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF) co-organized the grand opening ceremony of the "2024 Taiwan and Philippines Special Rescue Training Program" at the National Fire Agency Training Center (NFATC) on September 9th. The program, led by Chief Superintendent Rachel R. Verbo and Senior Superintendent Romel Tradio from the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection, brought a 49-member special rescue team from the Philippines to Taiwan for professional exchanges with Taiwan's firefighting community. The camp aims to strengthen firefighting cooperation and enhance the Philippines' emergency response and disaster preparedness capabilities.
Distinguished guests attending the ceremony included Director Hsieh Chi-Chiang of the Taiwan Fire Academy in Zhushan, TAEF Executive Director Yang Hao, Director Sabrina Aaron of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, Taichung Extension Office, and Executive Officer Wu Yun-Chen from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, William Liu, Deputy Director-General of the International Trade Administration, delivered a recorded welcome speech.
In his speech, Director Hsieh Chi-Chiang warmly welcomed the visiting team and emphasized that since 2019, 132 firefighters from the Philippines have completed training at the Zhushan Training Center. He noted that the center, covering 130 acres, is the third-largest firefighting training facility globally and the largest in Asia, equipped with state-of-the-art fire, water, and earthquake response training facilities. This year, the center introduced AI-assisted technology to further enhance training quality. He highlighted Taiwan's commitment to international rescue efforts, citing the country’s rapid deployment of a 130-member special rescue team and donations of relief supplies during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey in February 2023. Looking forward, the center plans to expand international cooperation, seeking international certification from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and hopes to attract more international experts to Taiwan for training and certification. Director Hsieh also pledged to introduce more fire rescue and urban search-and-rescue courses, anticipating that Philippine trainees will return to Taiwan for future training to further develop their professional skills.
William Liu, Deputy Director-General of the International Trade Administration, pointed out that both Taiwan and the Philippines face frequent natural disasters, and with climate change increasing the frequency and severity of such events, it is critical to strengthen disaster prevention infrastructure, technology, and emergency management capabilities. Since the launch of the New Southbound Policy in 2016, cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines has deepened in various fields such as trade, tourism, and education. In 2018, Taiwan and the Philippines initiated a joint cooperation program, organizing seminars, disaster prevention workshops, training camps, and joint fire training exercises. Although the pandemic temporarily disrupted in-person exchanges, cooperation quickly resumed in 2022 with significant results. This year (2024), Taiwan and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further solidify disaster prevention and management cooperation. Liu emphasized Taiwan's commitment to continue working closely with the Philippines to enhance both countries' disaster response capabilities and benefit their people.
Yang Hao, Executive Director of TAEF, noted that TAEF is committed to promoting the "people-centered" concept of the New Southbound Policy, which focuses on improving the well-being of the people through partnerships. Under the leadership of President Lai Ching-te, TAEF will continue to build on the foundation laid by President Tsai Ing-wen by advancing the "New Southbound Policy+" initiative. This initiative aims to deepen exchanges between Taiwan and the Philippines and expand cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, healthcare, and resilience corridors, further strengthening Taiwan's commitment to its ASEAN partners. Yang highlighted that the Philippine firefighting team is a crucial part of the resilience corridor. Last year, TAEF hosted two Philippine delegations for disaster resilience training, and this year’s training program not only offers professional courses but also includes participation in Taiwan’s National Disaster Prevention Day on September 21, providing in-depth insights into Taiwan's disaster response achievements. TAEF hopes that this collaboration will enable trainees to share their newfound knowledge with colleagues back home, further enhancing rescue capabilities in both countries and contributing to the well-being of their people, while exerting regional influence.
Sabrina Aaron, Director of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, Taichung Extension Office, expressed her honor in attending the opening ceremony for the second time since 2022 and witnessing the successful completion of training by multiple batches of trainees. She extended her heartfelt thanks to the Taiwan Fire Academy in Zhushan for their generous hospitality and looked forward to seeing more Filipino firefighters trained at the center, further deepening professional exchanges and cooperation.
Romel Tradio, Senior Superintendent of the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection, emphasized that the program symbolizes the importance of cooperation in fire rescue services, enhancing firefighting skills, knowledge sharing, and cultural collaboration, as well as resilience building. He remarked that this is not merely a partnership but a "commitment to safeguarding lives." The training program serves as a "bridge connecting mutual understanding and shared visions" and is an "investment in the future" to protect lives and the environment. Tradio expressed deep gratitude for the contributions of Taiwanese experts in improving the rescue skills of the Philippines and sharing valuable experiences. He encouraged the trainees to approach every challenge with passion, exceed expectations, seize every opportunity to expand their knowledge, and grow personally. He reminded the trainees to keep in mind the values of "courage, dedication, and commitment to safety" and hoped that their journey would yield fruitful results, leading to a "transformative journey" toward excellence.
The opening ceremony concluded with a ceremonial exchange of gifts between the institutions, symbolizing the long-term cooperation and strong friendship between the two countries in disaster response and rescue training.
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About The 2024 Taiwan-Philippines Training Program for Special Rescue Team
The 2024 Taiwan-Philippines Training Program for Special Rescue Team continues the disaster prevention training projects under the New Southbound Policy in recent years. Since 2023, the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF) has supported the Office of Trade Negotiations, Executive Yuan, in cooperation with the National Fire Agency Training Center (NFATC) , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the International Trade Administration to promote the program. The training aims to implement the "people-centered" concept of the New Southbound Policy, focusing on disaster prevention and firefighting to ensure the safety of lives and property.
Both Taiwan and the Philippines are prone to natural disasters, such as typhoons, floods, and landslides, making cooperation between the two countries particularly important. Since last year, the resilience cooperation promoted by TAEF has left a deep impression on international trainees, especially Taiwan's cross-departmental disaster prevention coordination capabilities. Trainees have praised innovative initiatives such as the use of drones and unmanned vehicles for pre-disaster detection, which not only improved rescue efficiency but also effectively reduced risks for firefighters during disaster relief operations.
During the training, several Taiwanese disaster prevention industries actively participated, sharing various advanced disaster prevention equipment. The National Fire Agency and the National Fire Agency Training Center (NFATC), adhering to the concept of "soft power diplomacy," are dedicated to sharing Taiwan's disaster prevention experience and resources. Through exchanges and training with disaster prevention personnel from various countries, they aim to enhance cooperation capabilities and improve disaster response technology and awareness.
Looking ahead, TAEF hopes that the government will continue to build comprehensive partnerships while promoting the New Southbound Policy, creating a "disaster resilience corridor." This not only reflects Taiwan's humanitarian spirit of empathy but also enables Taiwan to share its extensive disaster prevention experience with New Southbound partner countries, jointly enhancing disaster response capabilities to face future challenges.
Filipino trainees and instructors posing for a group photo at the Taiwan Fire Academy at NFATC.
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Director Hsieh Chi-Chiang of the NFTAC delivering a speech, Deputy Director-General William Liu of the International Trade Administration with a pre-recorded speech, TAEF Executive Director Yang Hao delivering a speech, Sabrina Aaron, Director of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office’s Taichung Extension Office delivering a speech, and Deputy Chief Romel Tradio of the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection delivering a speech.
Institutional gift exchange ceremony (Director Hsieh Chi-Chiang of the NFTAC, Senior Superintendent Romel Tradio of the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection, and Chief Superintendent Rachel R. Verbo of the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection).