By Brian Campued
“Unified 911, anong maitutulong namin sa’yo?”
People in crisis nationwide can now access a single hotline for every emergency as the Unified 911 system went live on Thursday.
The Unified 911 assures fast response to callers needing immediate help, such as crime or threat to security, fire and other related incidents, as well as medical emergencies—in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure the safety of families and communities.
Calls will be routed through an integrated network connecting the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and local government units (LGUs).
Speaking during the launch of the emergency system in Sampaloc, Manila, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jonvic Remulla noted that the Unified 911 replaces over 30 local emergency numbers, which only caused inconvenience to callers and delayed the delivery of life-saving services.
“Before we had this, the PNP had their own and they would average 100 calls a day—60% of which were pranks. Then you had the LGUs, you had the BFP, and you had everyone else. No one ever really knew—there was no one number that they could call,” he said.
“Today we show that it is possible that the Philippines can have a unified system to respond to people’s needs,” Remulla added.
Aside from being free and available 24/7, the system is also capable of understanding and responding to calls in various Philippine languages.
“Kapag sumagot ka doon, for example in Ilocos, Ilokano ang sasagot; kapag nandoon ka sa Visayas, Bisaya ang sasagot… including Ilonggo,” acting PNP Chief PLt.Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
In a speech, Fire Director Jesus Fernandez highlighted their roles as “guardians of life and property,” noting that the Unified 911 represents a lifeline in every emergency.
“We will not only bring trucks and hoses, we will bring courage, compassion, and confidence. We will strengthen our preparedness, sharpen our skills, and deepen our dedication so that every call answered through 911 is met with action of life-saving services,” the BFP chief said.
With the official launching of the Unified 911 system, Remulla said the government is fully committed to provide life-saving assistance for every Filipino who needs it.
“This is the dream of the DILG, that we will create our own brand… We are the first responders, we are the last hope. This is governance,” Remulla concluded. (with report from Louisa Erispe / PTV News)
