By: Vanessa Bugtong

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to launch a centralized 911 emergency call system this July, aiming to streamline emergency response nationwide.

Currently, multiple emergency hotlines across the country often cause confusion during urgent situations. Some hotlines are even being abused by prank callers.

In Baguio City, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reports receiving up to 1,000 prank calls daily.

“It’s not just prank calls,” said Glenn Lardizabal, Deputy Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer. “Some people call and then hang up immediately.”

This creates a serious issue for people who are in real emergencies but cannot get through because the lines are clogged.

One local resident, Gertrodes Espino, shared her experience, “I had to call three times because it took a while before someone answered,” she said. “The service was okay, but yes, it was a bit slow.”

To address this, the DILG plans to unify all emergency hotlines under a single 911 number.

At present, various agencies such as the police, fire department, and emergency medical services maintain separate contact numbers.

“This move will make emergency response faster, more organized, and more accessible,” said DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla. “All these services, fire, ambulance, local response, are under DILG, so it makes sense to centralize them.”

The plan also includes establishing a centralized command center, possibly in Metro Manila, while retaining the current 911 center in Davao City as a support hub.

“With a unified 911 system, we can centralize dispatching and improve coordination among response teams, whether it’s police, fire, or medical,” Secretary Remulla added.

The DILG is currently finalizing technical and legal details with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

The system will first be implemented in the National Capital Region, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Region 1, and Region 7.