THE UNIFIED 911 Emergency System will officially go live in July in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and Regions 1 (Ilocos) and 7 (Cetral Visayas), Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Monday.
In a press conference at the Quezon City Police District headquarters, Remulla said the Unified 911 will be powered by cutting-edge technology and will be expanded to other regions in the succeeding months in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive.
“We are going to deploy the latest technology in the world. Puwedeng streaming, maipapakita mo kung anong nangyayari sa iyo, may geolocator, para malaman kung nasaan ka (It can be streaming, you can see what’s happening to you, there’s a geolocator, to know where you are),” he said.
To address the long-standing issue of prank and nuisance calls, Remulla said the system has been designed with advanced deterrent features that will drastically limit such disruptions.
“Kasi ang experience niyan sa (Because the experience in the) PNP (Philippine National Police), 60 percent of the calls are pranks,” he said.
Remulla said the 911 Emergency Hotline will now be a permanent core program of the DILG, fully integrated into its operational framework and anchored on the direct involvement of frontline response units such as the PNP and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), both of which are attached agencies of the DILG.
He clarified that the program’s continuity will not be subject to changes in administration or leadership.
“Kasi continuing investment yan so hindi mo puwedeng sabihin na one year lang yan, sa susunod na taon papalitan na naman (It’s a continuing investment, so it is not for only year only). It’s a 10-year investment plan,” he said.
As for hotlines like the PNP’s 117, Remulla said these will serve as agency command centers to handle 911 calls related to their specific functions, such as crimes for the PNP or fires for the BFP. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)
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