Unified 911 hotline ready for Holy Week travelers

MANILA — The Unified 911 hotline will be a critical lifeline for travelers this Holy Week, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Tuesday.

During an inter-agency briefing, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla highlighted that 911 will ensure fast response to accidents, emergencies, and road obstructions nationwide.

“Ang 911 ay may 5-minute response time. Tumawag lang kayo sa 911 at siguradong mag-re-responde ang police, PNP at Coast Guard sa inyo kung ano man ang emergency na nangyayari,” Remulla said.

He noted that the system handles 60,000 to 80,000 calls daily and urged travelers to report anything that may affect their safety, from traffic hazards to accidents.

LGUs TO HELP SECURE HOLY WEEK

While national agencies lead coordination for Holy Week travel, local government units (LGUs) will support implementation on the ground.

This includes clearing local roads of obstructions that often cause traffic jams and crowding in tourist spots.

“Si [Baguio City] Mayor Benjamin Magalong, sinisigurado niya na ang Kennon Road ay magiging obstruction-free. Number one notorious dyan ‘yung Lion's Head. May isang lane lang na pwede,” Remulla said.

“So ‘yung mga ganyang lugar, ang local government ang siyang nagsisigurado na mawala ‘yung mga traffic na ganyan,” he added.

Remulla also reminded the public about safety along beaches, warning against public intoxication, a leading cause of fatalities during Holy Week.

“Last year, parang umabot tayo ng walo ang nalunod. Dahil dyan sa nag-iinuman, sabay mag-swimming sila. So, ide-deploy rin namin ang PNP at Coast Guard sa mga dalampasigan natin na para ipaliwanag at ipagbawal ang swimming pagkatapos ng alas-10 dahil doon nanggagaling ng lahat ng ating mga napipinsala,” the DILG chief said.

Despite the ongoing global fuel crisis, Remulla assured the public that government agencies are fully equipped to sustain emergency services and operations during the holiday.

“Wala namang buhay sa buong mundo na hindi apektado sa fuel crisis na ‘yan. Pero makakaasa kayo, itong Holy Week ay controlled naman namin ng lahat ng resources para effectively magbibigay namin ang serbisyo para sa buong Pilipinas,” Remulla stressed.

“We are well equipped, we are fully stocked, and we are ready to deliver our mandate.”