Anyone in distress in the Philippines can now call 911 — the country’s new emergency hotline number, Malacañang Palace announced on Friday.
President Rodrigo Duterte had signed Executive Order 56 last month, which “institutionalize[d] the use of 911 as the [country’s] Nationwide Emergency Hotline Number.”
The order says that this cancels the previously used hotline number “117” in order to “conform with international standards” and provide “a seamless nationwide communication infrastructure for emergency services.”
Primary responders to all calls will be members of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police.
GMA News Online wrote that all calls to 911 will be free of charge and that prank and fraudulent calls will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
An Emergency 911 Commission will be created to oversee the implementation of the program, which will be headed by the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). The DILG will come up with implementing rules and regulations within 60 days.
The 911 hotline used in the United States was adopted by Davao when Duterte was still the city’s mayor.
