The country’s Unified 911 emergency hotline posted a 96.15 percent efficiency rate from January to August 2026, handling 12.7 million calls nationwide as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) continued to strengthen emergency response capabilities across the country.

To sustain the system’s performance, the DILG is expanding response assets and strengthening the capacity of emergency personnel to ensure faster and more reliable assistance during critical situations.

As part of the continuing rollout, 163 Unified 911 emergency response motorcycles were recently turned over to local government units (LGUs) and regional police offices in Regions V, VI, VIII, and the National Capital Region (NCR), providing responders with greater mobility, particularly in congested and hard-to-reach areas.

The department also intensified capacity development for Emergency 911 National Call Center personnel. Telecommunicators and team leaders underwent training on standardized call handling, dispatch coordination, and the consistent delivery of emergency assistance.

“With these upgrades in place, the Unified 911 will be more adaptive and responsive in catering to more diverse and urgent emergencies,” the DILG said.

Calls received from January to August covered emergencies requiring police assistance, fire suppression, ambulance services, search and rescue, and other forms of emergency response.

In Caloocan City, first responders were dispatched within four minutes after a concerned citizen reported a bomb explosion, allowing an injured individual to be immediately brought to the nearest hospital.

In Mangatarem, Pangasinan, municipal and barangay rescue teams responded to a call involving a family stranded on the roof of their home as floodwaters rose. The family was safely evacuated and brought to an evacuation center.

The DILG said these actual responses demonstrate the importance of an integrated emergency system that connects calls for help with responders on the ground.

The DILG reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening the Unified 911 system through continued investments in emergency response assets, personnel training, and closer coordination among LGUs, the police, fire and rescue services, and other emergency response units to ensure timely and reliable assistance to Filipinos during emergencies.