The government’s push to make 911 the first number Filipinos remember in an emergency has gained a major boost, with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) partnering with SM Prime Holdings Inc. to bring the Unified 911 campaign to one of the country’s largest digital advertising networks.

Starting Thursday, emergency hotline reminders will appear on SM’s nationwide network of digital billboards and 398 cinema screens, expanding the campaign’s reach to millions of shoppers and moviegoers.

For DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla, the initiative is about more than promoting a phone number.

“This marks the beginning of a united national emergency response. This is what 911 represents,” Remulla said during the launch of the Unified 911 for Resilience National Campaign.

He said the hotline embodies the government’s commitment to providing accessible emergency services regardless of the caller’s language or dialect.

“Unified 911 is not ‘unified’ simply because people dial one number. It is unified because it recognizes and respects the culture and language of every region,” he said.

The campaign comes as the Unified 911 System continues to expand nationwide. Since its launch in 2025, the National, Regional and Satellite Command Centers have handled more than 12.78 million calls, reflecting growing public reliance on the country’s integrated emergency response network.

Remulla also announced plans to further strengthen emergency response by acquiring additional emergency vehicles for the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection to improve response capabilities nationwide.

He likewise stressed that transparency would remain a cornerstone of the program.

“911 does not begin and end with a phone number. You can inspect every piece of equipment we procure, every document, and every peso we spend. The program is free from corruption — there are no kickbacks or overpricing,” he said.

Remulla also urged police officers, firefighters and other first responders to continue upholding professionalism and integrity, saying public trust in the emergency response system ultimately depends on the people who answer the call when lives are at stake.

Also present at the launch were Pasay City Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., Bureau of Fire Protection officer-in-charge FCSUPT Wilberto Rico Neil A. Kwan Tiu, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, and SM Prime Holdings vice president for Mall Operations Junias Eusebio.