5-minute response time eyed for Unified 911 Hotline
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday launched the nationwide Unified 911 emergency hotline, which consolidates more than 30 local numbers into a single, streamlined service to enable government responders to provide help within minutes.
The initiative, unveiled during a ceremony at the PLDT office in Sampaloc, Manila, aims to speed up and coordinate government response to police, fire, medical and disaster emergencies. The system is designed to reduce delays and confusion caused by fragmented local hotlines.
Interior Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla, who led the launching, said the initiative highlights the vital role of emergency responders.
“We are the first responders. We are the last hope. This is governance,” Remulla said.
The Unified 911 hotline brings police, fire, medical, and disaster services under a single, 24/7 system. The DILG will work with the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and local governments to coordinate responses and improve protocols.
Language-sensitive
The hotline is language-sensitive, able to handle calls in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Waray, Tausug, and other local languages.
“The target response time is five minutes, with trained call takers ready to calm and assist callers in crisis,” the DILG said.
It added that the service is free and designed to give families confidence that they are safer at home, on the streets, and in every barangay. INQ
