DILG asks governors to buy motorcycles for fast police response

DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla. | File photo

MANILA – Provincial governors must acquire motorcycles for local police to ensure immediate response to reports through the country’s 911 emergency hotline, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

In a news release on Saturday, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the purchase of new motorcycles would allow the police to quickly verify the legitimacy of reported incidents, considering that 60 percent of total reports to 911 were prank calls.

“Ito lang ang hihilingin ko sa inyo: Bumili na kayo ng motorsiklo. Bigay n’yo sa mga pulis para sila lang muna ang magve-verify kung legitimate ang tawag o hindi (I ask you for only one thing: Buy motorcycles. Give that to the police and let them verify if the call is legitimate or nor),” he was quoted as saying during the 7th General Assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines in Pasig City on Friday.

READ: CCPO says more motorcycles needed for faster crime response

Remulla said it is a small investment for the governors to ensure that government resources will not be wasted.

During his four terms as Cavite governor, he acquired 800 police cars as logistical support to respond quickly to calls for assistance.

READ: Cebu City to comply with DILG’s ‘No POGO’ certificate

Access to motorcycles

He said the national government would shoulder all expenses for the launching of the nationwide integrated 911 system, adding that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered adjustments to the national budget to support the initiative.

“Ang investment lang ng (The only investment of) LGUs is I ask you to give policemen access to motorcycles para (for) first response, laging pulis, para madetermine talaga ang nangyayari (it’s always the police, to determine what’s really happening),” Remulla said.

READ: 911 emergency hotline coming to Cebu City soon

He said towns will be provided with firetrucks and ambulances for quick response during emergencies.

“Ang 911 kasi balewala ‘yan kung tatawag ka lang tapos ang response wala rin. Parang nagsusumbong ka lang. So kailangan ma-capacitate natin ang mga LGUs na may kakayanan silang mag-respond (The 911 is worthless if you only call but there is no response. It’s just like you’re only complaining. So, we have to capacitate LGUs to be able to respond),” Remulla said.

Integrated 911 system

The DILG is eyeing the launch of the integrated 911 emergency response system by June in the Greater Manila area, Cebu and Mindanao.

The 911 replaced the old Philippine emergency hotline117 in 2016.

Calls coursed through 911 include those that require police assistance, fire reports, emergency medical assistance, search and rescue, and even those that concern chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive materials.