Emergency response must be within reach of every Filipino, even in the country’s farthest communities.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla emphasized Friday that the success of the Unified 911 System lies not only in the speed of its response but also in its ability to bring government assistance closer to people across the country.

“Akala ng lahat na ang Pilipinas ay Maynila lamang, hindi totoo ’yan. There are 95 million other Filipinos all around the Philippines,” Remulla said.

Remulla cited the blessing and turnover ceremony of 20 emergency response motorcycles to Iloilo City and Aklan as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of local emergency responders and bring assistance closer to communities.

As more Unified 911 command posts are built across the country, emergency calls can be received, located and coordinated closer to where help is needed. This strengthens the capacity of local responders to act quickly and allows the hotline to serve as a great equalizer for Filipinos facing crises, whether in the metropolis or in the provinces.

The regional approach is supported by the Unified 911 System’s language-sensitive call handling and geotagging mechanisms, which make it easier for emergency responders to understand callers and pinpoint their locations for faster deployment of assistance.

“Everyone should have the equal opportunity to communicate and say what is wrong na hindi nahihiya kung hindi sila marunong mag-English o mag-Tagalog,” Remulla said.

With the strategic expansion of the Unified 911 hotline, the system has improved its reach to Filipinos in need, with actual responses on the ground demonstrating its impact.

In San Fernando City, La Union, emergency responders arrived within three minutes after a 911 caller reported three individuals showing signs of food poisoning after eating mushrooms. The victims were brought to the nearest hospital for immediate medical attention.

In Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, an elderly woman who slipped, sustained a bleeding head injury and suffered a fracture was promptly assisted after the incident was reported through 911. A barangay ambulance was immediately dispatched to bring the victim to a medical facility.

In Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, a 911 call reporting a road collision between a motorcycle and a water delivery cart led to the immediate coordination of the City Police Office and patrol personnel on the ground. The response was resolved within three minutes, ensuring prompt assistance to the injured pedestrian.

For Remulla, these incidents demonstrate how 911 is turning emergency response into a service that is faster, more accessible and more inclusive, regardless of the caller’s location or language.

Aside from the National Call Center in Metro Manila, five other regional call centers are now available in Cebu, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Iloilo and Leyte, with trained operators and emergency telecommunicators who speak the predominant languages in their respective regions.

Despite the country’s archipelagic nature and language diversity, Remulla said the Unified 911 System reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that more people feel safe.

“Wherever you are, kahit ano man ang lenggwahe ninyo, Filipino tayong lahat na iisa ang ating adhikain [para sa bansa],” Remulla added.