THE Cebu City government plans to activate its own emergency hotline to function like the 911 number in the United States.
Eugene Elizalde, head of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), said he will meet representatives of telecommunication companies and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) director Jess Laureno next week to finalize the mechanics.
The hotline will use the same 117 call number used by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
“We agreed in principle on the use of 117. We just have to agree on the mechanics including the concern if the emergency number may be reachable using cellular phones,” he said after the meeting.
At present, calls to the Cebu City police hotlines 166 or 160 are referred to the disaster office which then sends emergency responders. The police hotlines are not accessible by cellular phone..
CCTVs
Elizalde said the city needs at least 100 CCTVs installed on city streets to monitor traffic, flooding and peace and order.
“I hope that the council will also see the need, the importance of having CCTVs. I am sure the council is reasonable and will agree (to buying additional CCTVs,” he said.’
He already asked Philip Zafra, chief of staff of Mayor Michael Rama, to prepare a proposal for the acquisition.
“Having the CCTVs will not necessarily stop crimes but this will help identify the perpetrators and help solve crimes.”
City Hall already acquired 20 CCTV units. Ten were installed in the office of the mayor. The rest are installed in city streets with the control room in the MICS office in City Hall.
Why place 10 cameras in the office of the mayor?
“Security starts at the heart of the city which is the Office of the Mayor,” said Elizalde.
Councilor Margot Osmena has questioned the purhcase because it was not approved by the City Development Council (CDC) and the Cebu City Council.
The cost is charged to the P15 million peace and order appropriation which will be sourced from the 2013 calamity funds.