PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, through Executive Order (EO) 56, has institutionalized "911" as the nationwide emergency hotline number.
EO 56 repealed EO 226 signed by then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2003, which institutionalized Patrol "117" as the nationwide emergency hotline number.
The President explained that changing "117" to "119" was in compliance with the National Telecommunications Commission's (NTC) memorandum in July 2016, which made the latter code available for government's use as the emergency hotline number all throughout the country.
"There is a need to change the Patrol '117' hotline network to emergency 911 hotline number to conform with international standards on emergency numbers for public telecommunications networks," Duterte said in EO 56.
Under EO 56, the Emergency 911 Commission was formed to serve as the policy-making body and overseer of the Emergency 911 national program.
The commission would be chaired by the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and vice chaired by the secretary of the Department ofInformation and Communications Technology.
Other members were representatives from Duterte's office; departments of Justice, National Defense, Social Welfare, Health, and Transportation; the Presidential Communications Operations Office; the Philippine National police; the NTC; the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP); and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines president and two representatives from the private sector would also serve as members of the commission.
The commission is tasked to ensure that all calls made to the Emergency 911 hotline "shall be free of charge and other fees."
The Emergency National Hotline Public Safety Answering Center, otherwise dubbed as the National Call Center, would be under the direction and control of the DILG.
The EO delegated the local government units to also establish and run local 911 call centers within their area of jurisdiction using their own funds. The local emergency hotline call centers would still be under the supervision of the National Call Center.
"All fraudulent, hoax, or prank reports shall be dealt with in accordance with existing and applicable laws, rules, regulations, and the implementing rules and regulations of this order," a provision of the EO read.
The Emergency 911 Commission was also mandated to provide policy direction and formulate necessary guidelines; prepare and recommend policies, measures, thrusts, and solutions that are responsive to crime prevention, and public order and safety issues; and submit a semi-annual report on the EO's implementation.
The President inked EO 56 on May 25 but a copy was released by MalacaƱang just on Friday, June 1. (SunStar Philippines)