INTERIOR Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Friday warned that prank callers to the government’s newly launched 911 emergency hotline will be permanently flagged and deprioritized in future emergencies.
“One strike and you’re out,” Remulla said in an interview at Camp Crame.
He explained that once a number is tagged for making a prank call, it will no longer be prioritized during real emergencies.
“If something happens to your family, if your house is on fire, you will be the last priority that the 911 system will respond to,” he added.
The warning came after data showed prank calls made up about 30 percent of the 58,000 calls received on the second day of the hotline’s full operations. During its trial run, 11,000 calls were logged.
Despite the problem, Remulla commended the 911 system’s first successful rescue, calling it a “victory.” A bank employee’s call in Quezon City led to the rescue of a 78-year-old Chinese-Filipino businesswoman and the arrest of 11 suspects within hours.
“I’d like to congratulate the PNP and the Anti-Kidnapping Group for their fine work. I’d also like to congratulate the 911 system for having its first victory,” he said.
Remulla also urged the public to use the hotline responsibly, stressing that it is available nationwide. “From Tawi-Tawi to Jolo, you can call. It’s just one number now, and our first responders can reach you,” he said.
