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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Bacolod set to launch localized 911 hotline

Bacolod set to launch localized 911 hotline

Published Aug 19, 2026 09:13 pm
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya (Greg Gasataya FB)
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya (Greg Gasataya FB)

BACOLOD CITY - Mayor Greg Gasataya said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is now in the testing phase of the localized 911 emergency hotline in this highly-urbanized city.

Gasataya said a DILG representative in charge of the 911 system arrived in the city on August 13 to inspect the hotline operations and conduct tests.

As of August 14, Gasataya said the DILG was ready to issue a certificate allowing the city to officially go live, enabling local operators to directly answer 911 calls originating from the city.

Gasataya said that once you call 911, Bacolod operators will now answer unlike before that operators from other areas were answering.

He said some residents had previously raised concerns about coordination during emergencies because calls were not being handled directly by Bacolod operators.

Gasataya said he had been working on the localization of the emergency hotline since last year to improve and ensure faster response during emergencies.

“There will be no language barrier and this is localized. The system is in place,” he said.

He also appealed to the public to use the hotline responsibly, stressing that emergency calls could involve matters of life and death.

Residents can dial 911 for emergencies involving police, fire, and other emergency response concerns.

While 911 is a unified nationwide emergency number, Gasataya said the difference is that Bacolod calls will now be directly received and responded to by local operators, which he expects will improve response time.

The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) officially rolled out the SAFE NIR Dial 911 program last June aimed to ensure quicker, more responsive, and community-oriented emergency services for residents.

From its launch until August 16, the program received 364 calls, resulting in the arrest of 53 individuals. 

This is still a centralized hotline under Police Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, PRO-NIR director flagship initiative — SAFE which stands for Seen, Appreciated, Felt, and Extraordinary, designed to make police assistance more accessible, responsive, and connected to the communities it serves.

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