DAVAO CITY – The Davao City government will roll out a mobile emergency application to modernize city response operations and improve dispatch efficiency, particularly in geographically challenging areas.

Councilor Bonz Andrei Militar, head of the Committees on Information Technology and Future Generation, said the City Information Technology Center is finalizing preparations ahead of the app's public launching.

Militar said the mobile platform will allow people to contact Central 911 directly from their phones while automatically transmitting their location.

He said the system will also provide real-time first-aid guidance to callers while responders are being dispatched, helping stabilize patients and speed up emergency response.

Militar added that responders may request photos or videos from users to verify incidents and determine the nature of emergencies before deployment.

The app is part of the Smart Emergency Response and Locator-Computer-Aided Response and Emergency Dispatch (SERAL-CARED) system, which the City Council approved in November 2025.

The broader system, a modernized emergency response solution here, integrates GPS-based caller tracking into the 911 platform, allowing real-time display of a caller's location.

According to Militar, the app will feature emergency alerts, automatic GPS location, image and video upload capabilities, and messaging functions accessible to residents.

It will also include a Barangay Geo-Tagging Registry, a digital inventory that maps interior roads, structures, and landmarks across communities. It will help responders pinpoint exact locations.

Militar said the geo-tagging capability will also allow dispatchers to reroute emergency vehicles if they encounter traffic congestion or road incidents, enabling faster arrival at the scene.

"The SERAL-CARED system will also incorporate safeguards against prank calls," Militar said, adding that the system is designed to detect false GPS signals and fabricated reports that divert public safety resources.

Militar said the city is expediting the launch of the mobile app to ease call congestion and fix routing problems in Central 911, including cases where local emergency calls are mistakenly sent to the national system.

Data from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office shows that Central 911 receives an average of about 4,000 calls daily, with only roughly half classified as legitimate emergencies.

Prank callers may be blocked from using the system within the same day, while individuals who misuse the application could face penalties ranging from P2,000 to P5,000, with possible community service or imprisonment.