The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) assured the public that the “Unified 911 System", the single number for emergency and distress calls, will be fully operational within the year.

DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said the centralized emergency hotline will serve as a single point of contact for reports involving crimes, medical emergencies, fires, mental health issues, and suspicious activities.

During the Sept. 11 ceremonial launch, Remulla hailed the Unified 911 System as a "landmark initiative in public service delivery that clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment to good governance through responsive, timely, and efficient public service."

“For the first time,  people will now have one number to call. People are assured of a response. People can rely on the government,’’ Remulla said. 

“The service is free, available 24/7, and designed to be language-sensitive so calls in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Waray, Tausug, and other Philippine languages can be understood and acted upon. The target response time is five minutes, with call takers trained to reassure callers in crisis with a single assurance that help is on the way,” he assured.

Remulla highlighted the critical role of emergency services in nation-building.

Further, he pointed out that the Unified 911 System will seamlessly integrating the response efforts of the local government units (LGUs), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

“This is the DILG’s long-standing aspiration, to establish a unified emergency response platform where the PNP, BFP, and BJMP work hand-in-hand to serve and protect the Filipino people,” he added.

The BFP also reiterated its commitment to a modernized, coordinated, and people-centered emergency response system, one that guarantees that help is always within reach. 

Earlier, the DILG noted that the Unified 911 System rollout will replace the more than 30 local emergency numbers. 

For years, the DILG noted that the Philippines operated fragmented hotlines, leaving callers unsure whom to reach and causing uneven response times. 

With the Unified 911 System, Remulla pointed out that every emergency call, whether for police, fire, medical, or disaster response, “will now be routed through a single, integrated network linking the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and local governments.’’ 

“Unified 911 should not just be a hotline. It is a lifeline. Every second matters, every call matters, every life matters. This is a government fulfilling its promise that help will always be within reach,” Remulla said.