BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City Government is pushing for the localization of the country’s 911 emergency response system to ensure faster and more efficient emergency services for city residents.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said he recently discussed the proposal with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jon Paulo Salvahan, emphasizing the city’s readiness to operate its own localized 911 center.
“We fully support the national government’s initiative to establish a unified 911 emergency system where all emergency concerns can be addressed through a single hotline,” Gasataya said.
He added that Bacolod City is prepared to participate once the program is formally implemented nationwide.
“As long as the system is implemented, Bacolod City will be part of it. However, we believe that localizing the service will make emergency response more effective, particularly in terms of response time,” the mayor said.
Gasataya said he had already conveyed the city’s intention to establish a localized 911 operation to DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla last year.
“We want calls made within the territorial jurisdiction of Bacolod City to be answered directly by Bacolod’s own 911 center,” he said.
The mayor noted that the city has completed the Capacity Development Training for Emergency Telecommunicators conducted by a team from the DILG Central Office earlier this year.
“The city has already received its Certificate of Training Completion for 911 operations. This means that in terms of telecommunicators, we are ready and all systems are good,” Gasataya said.
He added that Bacolod already operates a 24/7 hotline and an operations center capable of supporting emergency response services.
“Our operations center is already in place and functioning 24 hours a day. What we want now is to further enhance and upgrade our capabilities. This is one of the reasons why the city has acquired additional patient transport vehicles and continues to strengthen its Emergency Medical Services and other preparations in anticipation of the 911 system,” he said.
The future Bacolod 911 Operations Center will be housed at the city’s Command Center in Barangay Taculing. While construction of the facility is ongoing, operations will temporarily be conducted at the evacuation center adjacent to the command center.
Meanwhile, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Col. Eugene Rabadomia announced during a press conference on June 3 that the SAFE NIR Dial 911 program will be officially launched on June 4.
SAFE stands for “Seen, Appreciated, Felt, and Extraordinary,” reflecting the police organization’s commitment to responsive and people-centered public service.
Rabadomia said the program forms part of the Philippine National Police’s centralized emergency response system.
Under the system, calls made to 911 are automatically routed to the PNP Command Center, which immediately dispatches the nearest available police unit or coordinates with the appropriate responding agencies.
The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure immediate assistance during emergencies.
In addition to police response, the system facilitates coordination with local government units, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and medical responders, providing an integrated approach to emergency management.
Gasataya expressed optimism that the city’s proposed localized 911 initiative, coupled with the launch of SAFE NIR Dial 911, will further strengthen public safety, emergency preparedness, and response efficiency in Bacolod City and across the Negros Island Region./PN
