'911' PHILIPPINE EMERGENCY HOTLINE TO BE LAUNCH ON AUGUST

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 the President 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.