The Morong, Rizal municipal government on Monday, May 6, announced that the town is now the country's first local government unit (LGU) installed with the Next-Generation Advanced 911 emergency response and public safety system as part of its efforts to boost its disaster response and preparedness capabilities.
(Photos from NGA)
Morong Mayor Sidney Soriano and NGA Philippines Country Head Robert Llaguno led the Go Live activation of the Morong Disaster, Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Command Center in Sitio Paglabas, Barangay San Pedro. Also present in the event were Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Juan Victor Llamas, Rizal Congressman Emigdio Tanjuatco III, Rizal Provincial Governor Nina Ricci Ynares, and Emergency 911 National Office Executive Director Francis Fajardo.
“I welcome you all to the inauguration of the Morong, Rizal Emergency 911 Command Center with Next Generation Advanced technology -- the very first in the Province of Rizal, the first in the country and in Asia. It has always been our utmost desire to be able to respond to emergencies and crisis situations, effectively and efficiently so that we can provide good public service to the people. Today is the culmination of that dream,” Soriano said.
Llaguno explained that the town's investment in the emergency NGA911 system presently used in the United States pioneers the use of technology in the Philippines that will revolutionize the way and speed with which the LGU can respond to emergencies.
“All 911 calls to the Morong DRRM Command Center are now fully recorded and conference and transfer facilities are now seamless,” Llaguno said.
"There is more efficient dispatch and coordination, because IoT capabilities enhance situational awareness that includes CCTV streams, GPS location and other early warning devices that can now be integrated to the system," he added.
“It will not only give Morong, Rizal a shorter 911 dialing code compared to the usual 10-digit cell number of responders. By utilizing the NGA NG911 system, the LGU will also be able to pinpoint with high accuracy the location of the emergency call and associate the same with the closest responders to provide a more immediate response," the official stressed.
To ensure the seamless operation of the system, personnel of the Next Generation Call Handling System of Morong will be trained by NGA and the Emergency 911 National Office where the NGA will provide specialized telephone equipment that will be used by dispatchers to answer 911 calls and text messages, with the call handling equipment plotting the 911 call or text on a map and pinpointing the location of the caller or emergency. The command center runs 24/7.
"The technology, used in the United States, has changed the face of emergency communications by using internet protocol (IP) technology to transmit voice, text and video messages, between callers and emergency responders. It can provide real-time data on the location and condition of callers, which can help first responders make more informed decisions in emergency situations," the town said.
According to the municipal government, Morong signed an agreement with NGA Philippines in April 2023 to provide the town with world-class and complete solutions for emergency communication and public safety services.