In Abra’s disaster response operations, the “mother’s touch” has proven to make a life-saving difference.

The province’s composite rescue team, strengthened by skilled female members, ensures that victims receive not only swift action but also holistic care.

“The holistic safety of victims is not overlooked when we have women responders,” said Elmer Bersamin, head of the Abra Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), on the sidelines of the awarding of winners at the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD) first RescueLympics on Wednesday in La Trinidad, Benguet.

Team Abra clinched second place, outperforming all-male squads from Mountain Province, Kalinga, Ifugao, Apayao, and Benguet, while Baguio City took the top spot.

The team of eight women and nine men tackled scenarios simulating an Intensity 7.2 earthquake, including car accidents, landslides, collapsed buildings, and fire.

Gender and development policy, which provides equal training for men and women, played a major role in securing the team’s success, Bersamin explained.

“We don’t see weaker or smaller bodies as a limitation. Proper skills and training remove those barriers,” he said in Ilocano.

He added that women responders excel in functions requiring precision, patience, and care.

“We do not encounter problems when we send women emergency responders because we are confident of their skills. We know that we have trained them to act appropriately during response missions,” Bersamin said.

The Abra composite team includes personnel from the Philippine Red Cross–Abra, Abra Provincial Police Office, the PDRRMC, the Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Female members also support back-end operations, from repacking relief goods to preparing nutritious meals for frontliners.

Meanwhile, OCD-Cordillera Director Albert Mogol praised Abra’s methodical approach.

“They were the first to think of disabling a car’s battery and engine to avoid explosions before rescuing victims trapped inside and underneath,” he said, calling the move a sign that women belong in every sphere—from home care to frontline humanitarian work.

Mogol stressed that RescueLympics is more than a contest. “It’s a real-world test of rescue skills and rapid emergency response, simulating situations communities can face at any moment,” he added. (PNA)