DAVAO City’s Central 911 marked its 24th anniversary on Sept. 27, continuing its round-the-clock emergency response services for residents.
Launched in 2002 under then-Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, Central 911 provides free emergency assistance for medical incidents, fires, search-and-rescue operations, and other urgent situations.
Alfredo Baloran, head of the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said the city will continue providing free and immediate emergency services to communities.
“Ang kaning 911 is na mugna man ni siya being one of the services sa City Government of Davao to the communities nga free of charge ug 24/7 nga service. Maong ipadayon nato ang atoang serbisyo sa pagtabang sa katawhan diria sa Davao City kay mao na ang pinaka objective sa 911 nga we have to serve. We have to serve free and immediate services to the community (The 911 was established as one of the services of the City Government of Davao, providing communities with free, 24/7 service. That’s why we continue our mission of helping the people of Davao City because that’s the core objective of 911 — to provide free and immediate services to the community),” Baloran said.
Central 911 has expanded its reach through satellite substations in Baganihan, Toril, Calinan, and Indangan. A fifth station is being built in Paquibato District to bring emergency response closer to communities outside the city center.
The emergency system has also expanded its operations through specialized divisions, including the Emergency Calls Answering Point and Dispatch (ECAPD), Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), and Fire Auxiliary Services (FAS).
The USAR team has responded to disasters outside Davao City, including search-and-rescue operations in the Visayas after Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. It has also provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to affected communities in Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Surigao, and Cotabato.
Baloran described CDRRMO and Central 911 personnel as “silent heroes” for their continued service during emergencies and disasters.
“I consider all my personnel in CDRRMO and Central 911 as silent heroes. They are the silent heroes kay makita nato sila everytime mapa rain or shine, kung naay mga panghitabo, naa mi dinha either sa ground or didto sa incident area. Makita ninyo kung unsa gyud ka dedicated ang atoang mga trabahante diria sa 911 (I consider all my personnel in the CDRRMO and Central 911 as silent heroes. They are silent heroes because you will see them, rain or shine, whenever incidents happen. We are there, either on the ground or at the incident area. You can truly see the dedication of our 911 personnel),” he said.
Central 911 had logged 356,100 calls as of September 2026.
Baloran also urged Dabawenyos to cooperate with emergency responders to help ensure faster and more effective responses.
“Akong hangyo ra sa tanan nga Dabawenyo nga kanunay gyud ta mutabang sa atoang mga kaigsounan especially sa atoang mga responders nga kanunay muabot sa inyohang komunidad nga muresponde sa oras na inyohang kinahanglanon (I’m urging all Dabawenyos to always help our fellow citizens, especially our responders who consistently arrive in your communities when you need them),” he said.
Davao City’s Central 911, described by the city government as the country’s pioneer emergency response system, became a model for the national Emergency Hotline 911 launched in 2016. CIO
