THE Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said that they are looking for solutions to address the current issue of Central 911 when calls are directed to the national hotline.
Alfredo Baloran, head of the CDRRMO, said that IT engineers and telecommunications companies are working on finding a solution so that 911 calls in Davao City will not be directed to the national system.
Baloran also said that, among the calls that Central 911 is receiving, about 1 in 1,000 calls are being received at the national level instead of the local Central 911.
“Technical glitch ang problema ani or kaning robo calls tawag diri, naay calls nga mag dial ug 911 diri sa Davao City ang makatubag mga Tagalog kay tungod na reroute ilang calls,” he said in a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on April 13, 2026.
(There is a technical glitch with this, or with these robocalls. The issue is that there are calls being dialed to 911 here in Davao City, but the ones answering are Tagalog speakers because the calls are being rerouted.)
Baloran said that some of the calls are redirected to the national system, including those in the National Capital Region and Cebu, among others.
He added that there have been cases where calls from Davao City are not directed to Central 911 but are instead immediately routed to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) or other concerned national offices.
He also said that there have been cases where calls come from outside Davao City and are redirected to their appropriate offices.
Baloran encouraged Dabawenyos whose emergency calls have been rerouted to inform the CDRRMO so that their office can notify telecommunications companies that particular numbers’ calls are being rerouted to the national system instead of the local Central 911.
He said that they will launch an app that would help Dabawenyos access emergency services in the city. However, he noted that they are still waiting for the passage of the ordinance for the app’s implementation.
He added that this is one of their solutions to ensure that emergency calls in the city are directed to Central 911.
Baloran said they welcome the idea of having a nationwide 911 system for a more coordinated emergency response; however, calls should still be localized to ensure that they are not rerouted.
Some Dabawenyos raised concerns about their emergency calls being answered in Tagalog, which would usually delay the emergency response.
To recall, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) launched the Unified 911 Emergency Response System in 2025. At the moment, the emergency system is at a 60 percent completion rate. The system aims to provide seamless communication among the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other concerned agencies.
However, Davao City’s Central 911 (officially the Davao City Central Communications and Emergency Response Center) was formally launched on September 27, 2002.
It was established through a collaboration between the Davao City Government and the Davao Light and Power Company to address rising crime rates and streamline emergency services. Notably, it was the first of its kind in Asia and only the third in the world at the time, trailing similar systems in the United States and Canada.
Success ratings and recognition
While "success ratings" are rarely published as a single percentage by the government, the center’s performance is traditionally measured through international benchmarking and prestigious national awards.
The success of Davao City’s Central 911 was so significant that in 2016, it served as the primary model for the establishment of the National Emergency Hotline 911 across the entire Philippines via Executive Order No. 5.
It was also a frequent recipient of the Gawad Kalasag (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sarili’y Galingan) award, the highest recognition given by the Philippine government for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. As of 2024, it reached the Hall of Fame status, indicating consistent excellence over multiple years.
Academic studies and surveys (such as those by the University of Mindanao) have noted high levels of public confidence in the system. One study indicated that approximately 83% of residents vouched for the quick response capacity of the city’s emergency personnel.
In 2022, it was specifically awarded as the Best Government Emergency Management System (GEMS) in the Philippines, highlighting its efficiency in medical assistance, urban search and rescue, and fire suppression.
Key operational units
The center's "success" is attributed to its integrated approach, which includes ECAP-D: Emergency Calls Answering Point and Dispatch; EMS: Emergency Medical Services (highly trained paramedics); USAR: Urban Search and Rescue; FAS: Fire Auxiliary Services; K-9 Unit: for tracking and search operations.
All services provided by Central 911 remain completely free of charge to the residents of Davao City. RGP
