Unified 911 gives VAWC victims hope

The Unified 911 hotline is proving to be a critical lifeline for victims of gender-based violence, handling nearly 600 emergency calls and facilitating immediate police interventions over the last three months, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Friday.

The toll-free national emergency service has become a central component of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen the enforcement of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, known as Republic Act 9262. According to department data, the National Call Center received 596 emergency calls related to violence against women and children between September and November 2025.

Officials said the system allows for the rapid assessment and relay of incidents to law enforcement and social service agencies. In one recent case in Makati City, a neighbor’s call to 911 reported a violent altercation where a husband was allegedly threatening his wife with a deadly weapon. Local security personnel arrived within minutes, preventing further assault and bringing the parties to a police station for case processing.

The hotline also facilitated a response to a reported rape in Masbate City involving the online circulation of a minor’s sensitive video. Because the case involved both domestic violence and photo voyeurism laws, the victim was immediately referred to specialized cybercrime and protection desks.

In Negros Occidental, police used a 911 tip to facilitate the immediate arrest of a suspect in a domestic battery and child abuse case.

A joint agreement between the interior, justice and social welfare departments recently institutionalized the inclusion of gender-based violence calls into the 911 system. The move is intended to streamline the pathway from the initial distress call to social work intervention and legal action.