ENCABO
DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 28, that it is stepping up emergency response capabilities this year to ensure faster, more efficient, and reliable services for people.
Speaking at the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing, Rudy Encabo, assistant head of the CDRRMO, said plans include the return of motorcycle paramedic teams, the addition of satellite stations, and the relocation of its main 911 office to improve response times.
Encabo said the Fast Response Emergency Service, which uses motorcycles and was first introduced under former Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, will help reduce ambulance delays, as motorcycles can move more easily through traffic.
“Ambulances often take too long to reach emergency calls,” Encabo said, adding that the program will deploy pairs of motorcycles, with one carrying tools and supplies and the other staffed by a paramedic to assess whether a complete ambulance response is needed.
He emphasized that the goal is to reach incident sites, particularly major urban accidents, within five minutes or less.
In addition, he said the office is expanding its network of satellite stations which currently operate in Toril, Calinan, Cabantian, Buhangin, and Panacan.
Encabo revealed that the Panacan station remains out of service following the October 2025 earthquake, which damaged its building. He added that the office has requested a lot in Barangay Lasang to establish an additional northern entry-point station.
Construction is underway for a new CDRRMO office at the former Ma-a slaughterhouse site, which will replace its current Sandawa location. He said the new facility will include a spacious motorpool to protect emergency vehicles from the Sun and rain.
Despite the relocation, Encabo clarified that Sandawa will continue to house standby assets, such as ambulances and fire trucks, to maintain strategic coverage across the city. He assured that the city government is preparing its emergency response network to meet the demands of 2026.