Bohol 911 hotline launched

CEBU, Philippines — As a province often hit by natural calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes, the launch of the first-ever 911 hotline in Bohol Island marks a major step toward faster and more efficient emergency response.

Tagbilaran City officially launched this hotline, led by the Tagbilaran City Government and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), aiming to streamline emergency services across the city --all free of charge.

The 911 hotline in Tagbilaran City is the first in Bohol and the second in Central Visayas, following Cebu City, which launched its own 911 service on September 30, 2024.

Emmanuel Supremo, an officer from the CDRRMO Emergency Communications Unit, told reporters over the weekend that several emergency calls have already been received since the hotline’s launch on April 25, 2025, and that the city’s emergency response has become noticeably faster and more efficient.

The city government allocated ?6 million for the establishment of this initiative.

Marko Emmanuel Longjas, Head of the CDRRMO Research and Planning Division, said that even with the launch of Tagbilaran 911, the existing hotlines such as 411-222 will still be used through a redundancy method.

This method ensures that if one hotline cannot be reached, another will serve as a backup to maintain continuous emergency response operations.

The 911 and existing hotlines have been integrated into a single system, allowing for a wider and more coordinated range of services.

“Bisan unsa nga number ang tawagan either ang hotline or 911, usa ra ka system moagi,” Longjas explained.

Before launching 911, the CDRRMO of Tagbilaran underwent several preparations to meet the required criteria, including establishing a facility capable of handling the system, training personnel to manage calls, and ensuring the system’s 24/7 operation.

Since the launch, the CDRRMO has encouraged the public to use Tagbilaran 911 in times of emergency.

Supremo said that using 911 is more advantageous because it is free, easy to remember, and has made emergency dispatch operations more efficient.

He added that since the service is free, callers do not hesitate to stay on the line and can provide more complete information during emergencies.

“In the past, before 911 was available, callers would sometimes hesitate to prolong the call because they were worried about using up their phone load,” Supremo said.

“Now, with the use of 911, callers can stay on the line and continue talking until the ambulance arrives,” he added.

According to Supremo, most of the emergency calls involve vehicular accidents where patient transport is needed.

With the help of the 911 system and existing hotline numbers, the CDRRMO said that emergency responders can now arrive on the scene in as little as five minutes, providing the immediate assistance required. — (FREEMAN)