Pangasinan 911 emergency hotline receives 82,000 prank calls
The Pangasinan 911 emergency hotline recorded 82,027 prank calls from Aug. 30, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2025.
Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Emergency Operations Center Unit head Pia Flores said these fake calls consume valuable time, manpower, and resources that should be dedicated to saving lives.
To address this, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan enacted Provincial Ordinance No. 369-2025, the Pangasinan Anti-Prank Callers Ordinance, on Jan. 20, 2026.
The ordinance imposes penalties ranging from ₱1,000 to ₱5,000 in fines, imprisonment of up to one year, or both, with first-time offenders receiving a warning and an educational home visit.
The ordinance covers fake emergencies, threatening or profane calls, deceptive reports, and repeated unnecessary or abandoned calls.
Authorities urged the people to be responsible on the use of the 911 hotline.