New 911 tech targets ‘robo-calls’ to clear emergency lines

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Tuesday that the country’s modernized Unified 911 system can now detect and filter AI-generated and automated prank calls, a move aimed at shortening response times for real emergencies.

The upgrade includes verification mechanisms designed to identify suspicious and automated calls before they reach emergency operators. The enhancement follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen public safety systems.

Francis Fajardo, executive director of the Emergency 911 National Office, said the system recognizes patterns linked to AI-generated voices and “robo-dialing” used for misleading reports.

“We have received reports of AI-generated calls,” Fajardo said during a DILG press briefing Tuesday. “Now, with our modernized Unified 911 system, we can filter those robo-calls and AI-generated calls. Our system allows us to validate if a call is AI-generated; we can see it in the system.”

Since the modernized system launched in September 2025, data from the National Call Center shows that prank and abandoned calls have dropped by 98.3 percent. Despite the decline, officials warned that non-emergency calls still consume valuable bandwidth and can delay assistance to legitimate callers in distress.

To protect the hotline’s capacity, the system now tracks phone numbers that repeatedly place suspicious calls. Numbers identified as part of a pattern of prank reporting are automatically assigned lower priority, ensuring that operators can focus on verified emergencies such as accidents, crimes, fires and medical crises.

The DILG reminded the public that unnecessary calls risk delaying help for those in life-threatening situations.

“Please avoid calling if it is not an emergency,” Fajardo said. “By the time you are the one who needs help, you might not be answered immediately.”

The agency also reiterated that the Unified 911 hotline is strictly for emergencies and urged the public to use the service responsibly to ensure responders can reach those in danger without delay.