KORONADAL CITY — The city government is pushing for the activation of a permanent emergency hotline and “text blast” system to further enhance its disaster response mechanisms.
City Administrator Cyrus Urbano said Monday they are currently working on the establishment of the two systems, which was earlier set by the local government as among its top priorities.
Dubbed “911 Emergency Response Communication System,” he said they are targeting its operationalization before the end of the year.
Urbano said the city government, as endorsed by City Mayor Peter Miguel, allocated an initial of P500,000 for the implementation of the project.
The funds, which were sourced from the savings of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), would be utilized for the one year subscription for the emergency hotline with telecommunication companies.
“The 911 hotline is patterned after the systems adopted by some cities such as Cebu and Davao,” said Urbano, who is also the designated CDRRM officer.
Urbano said they pushed for the establishment of the emergency hotline in compliance with a directive from the national government, through the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
As part of the initiative, he said they conducted benchmarking activities in Sarangani Province and in the cities of Kidapawan, Davao, and Cebu.
For the text blast system, Urbano said they allotted some PHP30,000 for its activation and initial implementation.
“It will be used for the release of advisories and other important information to the public, especially during emergencies or calamity situations,” he said. (PNA)
