EDITORIAL — Taking a service for granted

Unknown to many Filipinos, the government already has a 911 hotline, similar to what those in the US call for police, fire, or medical emergencies.

But perhaps this may be a good thing, because according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government, 98% of the calls received daily by that hotline are from pranksters.

In a report in Philstar.com, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos warned those who made or plan to make prank calls to stop.

“I’m warning you. We know where your prank calls are coming from. You’re on camera, we know your location... This is for the efficient and quick resolution to accidents or crime. Please, do not misuse the system,” Abalos said.

The same report mentions prank calls are punishable under Presidential Decree 1727, with those caught doing it facing imprisonment of not more than five years or a fine of not more than ?40,000 at the discretion of the court.

This is another instance or example of some Filipinos not taking care of what is being given to them. It could be likened to the same way many of us don’t take care of public infrastructure being provided by the government, or the same way many of us take nature for granted.

In this instance it is abuse of a service being provided to help those in need.

Ninety-eight percent is a high number. Imagine for every 100 calls only two would be legitimate requests for help.

We don’t know what those who make these prank calls are trying to achieve, whether it is to sow confusion or just to have a laugh at the expense of others, but we have to consider the possibility that for every prank call that made it through, a legitimate call for help might have been held back.

It might also be that eventually this emergency hotline will be discontinued because people would rather flood it with prank calls that real requests for aid, rendering it useless. If that does happen we will have lost a good and quick way to get help.

This goes without saying that those who have nothing better to do in life other than fake emergencies for kicks or whatever reason better just knock it off, or else we might really have no one else to call when a real emergency does come along.