CEBU CITY— Filipinos in distress will now be answered in their own language when they call 911, just as
the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) with PLDT, PLDT Enterprise, and ePLDT, launched four new Unified 911 Satellite Command Centers in Batac, Ilocos Norte; Cauayan, Isabela; Leganes, Iloilo; and Tacloban, Leyte in June this year— bringing dialect-sensitive emergency response to 20 more provinces across Northern Luzon and the Visayas.
The expansion follows last year’s launch of the National Command Center in Manila and the Regional Command Center in Cebu. Operators can now respond in Hiligaynon, Waray, Ilocano, and other local languages to cut delays in emergencies
"The answer will be in your language,” the DILG said. The key upgrade—SCC operators are fluent in at least ten languages, including English, Tagalog, and their respective local languages.
"When you dial 911 in Iloilo, the answer will be in Hiligaynon. If you are in Tacloban, the answer is Waray; in Ilocos, Ilocano," said Philippine National Police Chief Melencio Nartatez Jr., who represented Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla at the flagship ceremony in Leganes, Iloilo.
"That is how advanced our response is, faster, understood, and felt by every Filipino who calls in distress,”
he added.
Officials said the dialect-sensitive system removes the need to route regional calls to Manila, reducing delays and miscommunication caused by translation errors. Callers can now speak naturally and get responders dispatched faster and more accurately.
Tech-powered and centralized
launched in September 2025, the Unified 911 system integrates police, fire, medical, and rescue services into one technology-enabled platform linking national agencies with local government units (LGUs).
The SCCs are hosted on ePLDT’s Pilipinas Cloud and feature
multiple reporting channels including live video streaming
GPS-based location tracking of callers and responders
Geo-fencing for faster, more coordinated dispatch
Centralized data reporting
"The launch of the dialect-sensitive Unified 911 satellite command centers is a critical step toward more responsive, inclusive, and resilient emergency services," said PLDT Enterprise Head and ePLDT Chairman Blums Pineda.
"We believe that technology, combined with local language and local knowledge, can further empower our responders to act faster and serve our communities better,” he added.
Wider coverage coming
The four new SCCs in Batac, Cauayan, Leganes, and Tacloban cover the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas regions. They joined the Leganes launch virtually to present their capabilities.
PNP Chief Nartatez also announced that two more SCCs are set to be launched soon in Cagayan de Oro and Maguindanao.
Also present at the Iloilo launch were Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas, Leganes Mayor Vicente Jaen II, New Lucena Mayor Carl Vincent Mondejar, BFP OIC Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, and NGA CEO Ishka Villacisneros.
PLDT said its support for Unified 911 is part of broader efforts to modernize emergency response and build disaster-resilient communities through robust digital infrastructure.
For emergencies, the public is reminded to just dial ‘911’.
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