Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael Sueno conducted a test of the 911 national emergency number yesterday, July 21.
The emergency hotline, which is proven to be effective in Davao City in ensuring the speedy response of police, firefighters, and medical personnel during emergencies, is set to launch nationally in August.
In the test, Sueno called 911 and requested police assistance at the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) building, where he was having a meeting with representatives of telecommunications companies, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Cops were able to respond within 10 minutes, while members of the BFP were able to respond within 20 minutes.
It can be remembered that at his first Cabinet meeting after his inauguration, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to put up a complaint hotline.
“l am setting up a complaint office, 24 hours, manned by 10 operators, covering the entire country. The number will be 8888. They can report to me any complaint and there will be a manager who will redirect the complaint to the proper office,” the President said during the televised Cabinet meeting.
The 911 emergency number will replace 117, currently the official national emergency number. The 24-hour service would be manned by officials of the Presidential Action Center (PACE).
Meanwhile, the hotline 8888 will be launched as the official complaint hotline of the Philippines.
