DILG rolls out national 911 hotline in NCR, BARMM, Regions 1 and 7

The Unified 911 Emergency System, which will integrate all 35 emergency hotlines across the country, is set to go live this July in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and Regions 1 and 7.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla made the announcement during a press conference at the Quezon City Police District headquarters. He emphasized that the nationwide emergency response system will leverage state-of-the-art technology and will be rolled out to more regions in the coming months.

“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,” he said.

To combat the persistent issue of prank and nuisance calls, Remulla explained that the new system incorporates advanced features designed to detect and prevent such misuse.

““Kasi ang experience niyan sa PNP (Philippine National Police), 60 percent of the calls are pranks. Ngayon, malalaman na kung mula saan ka tumawag, kung sino ka, kung anong itinawag mo. Mas magiging efficient ang pagtakbo ng 911," he added.

Remulla noted that the 911 Emergency Hotline is now a permanent core program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), fully integrated into its operational framework. The system will rely heavily on frontline response agencies like the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), both under the DILG.

He also clarified that the emergency hotline program is a long-term commitment that will continue regardless of changes in 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 ten-year investment plan,” Remulla said.

Regarding existing hotlines like the PNP’s 117, Remulla explained that these will serve as agency command centers to receive and handle 911 calls related to their specialized functions, such as crimes for the PNP and fire emergencies for the BFP.