MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla on Monday announced that the Unified 911 Emergency System will officially launch in July 2025 in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and Regions 1 and 7.

Speaking at a press conference at the Quezon City Police District headquarters, Remulla said the national emergency response system will use advanced technology and will be expanded to other regions in the following months.

“We are going to deploy the latest technology in the world. Puwedeng streaming, maipapakita mo kung anong nangyayari sa iyo, may geolocator, para malaman kung nasaan ka,” he explained.

To address prank and nuisance calls, Remulla noted that the system has built-in features to prevent abuse. “Kasi ang experience niyan sa PNP (Philippine National Police), 60% of the calls are pranks. Ngayon, malalaman na kung mula saan ka tumawag, kung sino ka, kung anong itinawag mo. Mas magiging efficient ang pagtakbo ng 911.”

He said the 911 system will now be a core program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), with permanent integration into its operations and active participation from frontline units such as the PNP and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

“Kasi continuing investment yan, so hindi mo puwedeng sabihin na one year lang yan, sa susunod na taon papalitan na naman. It’s a ten-year investment plan,” Remulla said.

He added that existing hotlines like the PNP’s 117 will be repurposed as agency-specific command centers to handle relevant 911 calls—such as crimes for the PNP and fires for the BFP.