THE Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6) formally launched on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the region’s Unified 911 Satellite Command Center in Leganes, Iloilo, as part of the government's nationwide effort to strengthen emergency response services and bring faster assistance closer to communities.
The facility is among four newly operational Unified 911 satellite command centers established in key areas across the country, including Batac City in Ilocos Norte, Cauayan City in Isabela, and Tacloban City in Leyte.
All four centers are connected to a single national emergency response network designed to improve coordination and response times during emergencies.
The launch ceremony at the Leganes Fire Station gathered officials from national and local government agencies, emergency response organizations, and private sector partners involved in the implementation of the Unified 911 program.
Among those present were Philippine National Police Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., Bureau of Fire Protection Officer-in-Charge Fire Chief Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas, Leganes Mayor Vicente Jaen II, and PLDT Senior Vice President Blums Pineda.
The event featured a live network check involving representatives from the four satellite command centers, demonstrating the system's capability to receive, dispatch, and monitor emergency calls at the regional level while remaining integrated into the national platform.
PRO 6 Acting Director Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño described the activation of the Region 6 facility as a major step toward improving emergency response operations across Western Visayas.
“This is more than the launch of a facility or a technology platform. It is about bringing government services closer to our people and ensuring that help arrives when it is needed most,” Tuaño said.
He noted that the Unified 911 system is expected to speed up emergency response and improve coordination among police, fire, medical, and disaster response units throughout the region, enabling responders to manage incidents more efficiently and provide faster assistance to the public.
“Sa oras ng agarang pangangailangan, bawat segundo talaga mahalaga. Sa tulong ng Unified 911, mas mapapabilis ang pagresponde at mas magiging maayos ang koordinasyon ng ating mga first responders para masigurong ligtas ang publiko,” said Tuaño.
(In times of urgent need, every second truly counts. With the help of Unified 911, response times can be faster, and coordination among our first responders can be more efficient, helping ensure the safety of the public.)
“Ang kaligtasan ng komunidad ay isang responsibilidad na sama-sama nating ginagampanan (The safety of the community is a responsibility that we all share and uphold together). Through this system, we are strengthening our ability to protect lives and provide immediate assistance to those in need. This is a concrete example of public service working at its best,” he added.
The launch forms part of the continuing nationwide expansion of the Unified 911 program, which aims to improve emergency communications, reduce response times, and make emergency services more accessible across the country.
PRO 6 said the operationalization of the Region 6 Satellite Command Center supports the Philippine National Police's modernization efforts through enhanced technology, stronger inter-agency collaboration, and community-centered public safety initiatives. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)