In a bid to strengthen emergency response and assistance to Bulakenyos, the Bulacan provincial government is set to launch its 911 emergency hotline at the Provincial Capitol Gymnasium in the City of Malolos on Thursday, October 28.
The project, in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, will be under Bulacan Rescue's Communications, Command, and Control Center (C4) of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
Bulakenyos can now receive a quick response in their emergencies including medical necessities (heart attack, stroke, etc.), vehicular accident, fire reports, collapsed structures, and natural disasters like floods, typhoons, and earthquakes that need immediate rescue.
In President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 56, all local government units shall establish their local 911 call centers where calls shall be free of charge.
“This will not defeat the purpose of the Bulacan 566, pwede pa rin pong tawagan ang numerong ito para sa pagresponde sa mga emergency 27/7. Ito pong ilulunsad natin na 911 hotline ay makakatulong ng 566 sa pagpapanatili ng pampublikong kaayusan at seguridad at pagpigil sa kriminalidad. Ngayon po sa pag-dial ng 911, kahit walang load, walang problema, mas pinabilis din po ang waiting time dahil sa Go Live,” (this number can still be dialed to respond emergency 24/7. This 911 hotline can help 566 retain the public order and safety and stopping criminality. Now in dialing 911 even no load, no problem, the waiting time is more faster due to Go Live)," Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando said.
He added that Go Live 911 uses a Touchpoint software that calls directly to first responders for improved situational awareness and faster response times.
PDRRMO executive officer Liz Mungcal said PLDT 911 Seminar-Orientation was conducted last Nov. 8, 2019, all C4 staff was certified as Emergency Communicator on Dec. 23, 2019, while Emergency Telecommunicator Certification Training was held on Jan. 13 to 17, 2020.
The Emergency 911 National Office of the Department of Interior and Local Government also conducted an ocular inspection in Bulacan for its application for the local use of 911 hotline on June 21, 2021 and was approved.