‘911’ will be the official emergency hotline in the Philippines by August

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar

The National Telecommunications Commission issued a series of orders paving the way for the use of “911” as the national emergency hotline number, as directed by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

Specifically, the NTC said it issued a memorandum order formally assigning the code “911” for this purpose starting August 1, 2016.

Starting on the said date, the NTC said “all public telecommunications entities shall route all of the public’s “911” calls to the existing PATROL 117 Command Center until the new 911 Command Center is established and made operational.” Thereafter, all “911” calls shall be routed to the 911 Command Center, it added.

“The public is also strictly urged to refrain from making prank calls to the National Emergency Hotline Number,” the NTC said. As the long-time mayor of Davao City, Duterte had established a 911 Emergency Response Center.

The Duterte administration will launch its 24-hour hotline next month.

Speaking to INQUIRER editors and reporters, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the “8888” hotline will be launched to receive people’s complaints.

“We’re launching it this August, the 8888 plus the 911,” he said.

At his first Cabinet meeting after his inauguration, President Duterte vowed to put up a complaint hotline.

“I 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.

Andanar said the country’s emergency telephone number would be changed from 117 to 911.

“The 117 now should be beefed up to become 911,” he said.

In Davao City, Duterte has established a 911 emergency response center.