Modernized emergency 911 system seen to weed out prank callers
MANILA, Philippines — The modernized emergency 911 system is expected to discourage prank callers since they can now be located more easily.
Emergency 911 National Office executive director Francis Fajardo said the patented call handling system by Next Generation Advanced (NGA) 911 now has the technology that could provide 80 to 90 percent accuracy.
This improvement is due to the memorandum of understanding inked between the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Emergency 911 National Office, and telecommunications firm PLDT on Wednesday.
“Ito namang isang problema natin sa prank callers, malolocate na din po natin at mapupuntahan na natin ang mga nanloloko at masasampahan na natin ng demanda para maiwasan na ang mga ganitong sitwasyon,” Fajardo said in his speech during the summit held at Mandaluyong City.
(As for our problem with prank callers, we could now locate and go to the area of these tricksters and we could file charges to avoid such a situation.)
Fajardo noted that the NGA system includes advanced mapping, incident management systems, and IP camera integrations, among other features.
Fajardo also said that due to the said technology, the target response time has greatly improved since August 8, when the revitalized Emergency 911 was launched.
READ: PNP eyes 5 minutes emergency response time as it bolsters 911 hotline
“Ang pagresponde ng ating mga magigiting na kapulisan ay aming pinagtutulungan upang mas mapabilis sa loob lamang ng lima hanggang walong minuto. At ikinagagalak po naming sabihin na, simula po noong August 8, ito po ay isa nang realidad,” Fajardo said.
(We are working to make the response time of our policemen faster, making it only from five to eight minutes. And we are happy to announce that since August 8, it has become a reality.)
In a later ambush interview, DILG chief Benjamin Abalos Jr. said that the agency received 28,346 calls from January to June, of which around 24,000 were emergency calls.
Abalos also said that from 30 personnel, there are now 150 staff taking calls, thanks to the augmentation of personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine National Police.
