THE government's national emergency hotline 911 received 4.5 million calls last year, but only less than half were legitimate calls, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Wednesday.
With this, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno urged the public "not to abuse or misuse" hotline 911.
Of the total 4,539,014 calls nationwide from January to December last year, 2,239,987 or 49 percent were legitimate calls, 1,638,551 or 36 percent were incomplete calls, and 660,476 or 15 percent were illegitimate calls, he said.
Sueno said the number of calls peaked in August after 911 was officially launched as the new national emergency hotline in place of 117.
“At that time, Hotline 911 received an average of 30,000 to 35,000 calls per day,” he said.
"We are appealing to the public not to abuse or misuse 911. Each call is very important because someone who is facing a life and death situation might be on the other side of the line asking for our help," Sueno said.
He said Hotline 911’s work is very important as taking in calls and responding to high risk incidents pave the way to successful rescues which, in the end, save lives.
He cited an incident on January 17, 2017, when Hotline 911 received a telephone call from retired police major Albert Juan who reported of a sinking cargo vessel headed towards Tacloban City where one of the passengers was his neighbor, Jose Sablante, Jr.
The report was immediately coordinated by the 911 operator to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Command Center which related the incident to PCG District Eastern Visayas for appropriate action.
Four vessels were immediately deployed by Eastern Visayas PCG to the area which led to the rescue of 28 M/V Meridian Tres crew members including Sablante.
"These stories inspire our people in Hotline 911 to be more dedicated and committed because they are doing a great service to our people,” he said. (SDR/VoxPop Philippines)