Philippine National Police Targets Three-Minute Response Time with Enhanced 911 Service

CAMP CRAME — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is setting a new benchmark for emergency response times, targeting a rapid three-minute response through its upgraded 911 emergency service.

According to Philippines News Agency, who spoke during a recent simulation at the PNP Command Center, the objective is not only speed but also efficiency in response. Challenges like traffic congestion and incomplete information from callers could affect response times, but the new system aims to overcome these hurdles. “We are aiming to bring our response time down to three minutes, though in actual scenarios, we could be even faster,” Marbil stated.

The PNP chief also highlighted the goal of enhancing connectivity with other emergency services and local government units, aiming for a seamless integration with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), ambulance services, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO). “This interconnectivity is crucial for improving public service visibility and efficiency,” he added.

Launched in the first week of August, the revamped 911 system also benefits from collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which has enlisted private firms to enhance the system’s capacity to accurately locate callers. DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. emphasized the ongoing integration efforts, “While local governments continue to use their emergency numbers, we are progressively integrating technology to transition fully to 911.”

Additionally, the modernized system features advanced measures to deter misuse, such as identifying and deprioritizing prank callers, explained Bernard delos Santos of the Emergency 911 National Office. Under the new system, significant strides have been made in filtering non-emergency calls, with 30,000 calls filtered, revealing 700 legitimate emergencies.

The system, enhanced with artificial intelligence, can distinguish between genuine and non-genuine calls more effectively, according to Ishka Villacisnero, president of Next Generation Advanced 911 Philippines. Villacisnero noted the AI’s capability to reduce prank calls significantly.

The DILG chief also issued a stern warning against prank calling, noting that such actions would lead to legal consequences under the updated emergency response framework.