Starting 11 September, Filipinos will have just one number to call in any emergency — 911.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched Unified 911, a nationwide single emergency hotline that replaces over 30 separate local numbers. This major reform answers President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to strengthen safety for families and communities under the Bagong Pilipinas agenda.

For years, the country’s emergency services were fragmented, leaving many callers confused about whom to contact and causing delays in response times. With Unified 911, all emergency calls — whether for police, fire, medical help, or disaster response — will now be connected through a single integrated system. This network links the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and local government units, ensuring faster, coordinated action.

“Unified 911 should not just be a hotline. It is a lifeline,” said DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla. “Every second matters, every call matters, every life matters. This is government fulfilling its promise that help will always be within reach.”

The service is free, operates 24/7, and is language-sensitive to accommodate calls in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Waray, Tausug and other Philippine languages. Call takers are trained to calm distressed callers and provide reassurance with the simple but powerful message: “Help is on the way.” The goal is a response time of five minutes or less.