27/06/2025
The original and the first of its kind in the country. Proud to be one of the TWG members representing the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).
Back in 2002, this pioneering initiative was launched through a collaboration between the City Government of Davao—who provided several brand-new patrol vehicles, communications equipment and hand held radios, city-funded civilian drivers and a call center under “Central 911”—the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), and Davao Light and Power Company, which contributed a geotagged mapping system of the entire city.
At that time, GPS technology was not yet widely available, so electric posts served as the primary location reference. If a caller was unfamiliar with the streets of Davao City, the Central 911 call taker would instruct them to approach the nearest electric post. The call center would then use the unique identifier on that post to dispatch the nearest pre-positioned police unit. Additionally, a confidential locator code was printed on each resident’s electric bill to be used in case police assistance was needed.
Today, the system has greatly expanded and become more technologically advanced. It now includes additional emergency services such as fire response, medical emergencies, ambulance dispatch, urban search and rescue (USAR), and disaster response. It has even extended assistance beyond Davao, reaching as far as Leyte during Typhoon Yolanda.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xQnro5Vf/?mibextid=wwXIfr
𝐈𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 23𝐫𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 911 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
Since 2002, Davao City’s Central 911 has been providing the public with efficient emergency response services that are free and accessible 24/7.
Then-mayor (now former president) Rodrigo R. Duterte established Central 911 to ensure Dabawenyos receive efficient emergency and medical response service.
To further streamline its services to the community and ensure a more efficient and effective disaster emergency response and preparedness, Central 911 established satellite substations in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in the city.
Alfredo Baloran, Head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said that currently the Central 911 has five operational satellite stations located in Baganihan, Calinan, Toril, Panacan, and Cabantian.
In its 23rd year, Central 911 is eyeing the establishment of two more substations in Lasang and Malabog.
These satellite substations will be equipped with Emergency Medical Service (EMS), fire trucks, and USAR personnel.
Enhancement of its hotlines are also ongoing.
Through the years, Central 911 continues to conduct enhancements of its services, equipment and training initiatives that not only capacitated its personnels but also other sectors in the community.
Baloran also said that through the Central 911’s real time dispatch system, interoperability among the security cluster, disaster response cluster, and allied agencies become seamless.
This allows for an effective and efficient response time to emergency situations that ensures the safety and security of city residents.
With services ranging from emergency medical services, fire prevention and response, urban search and rescue (USAR), and other emergency support services, Central 911 did not only serve Dabawenyos but also provided support to other cities and provinces during calamities.
Its USAR team has been deployed to other locations outside the city to provide aid during calamities including search and rescue operations in the Visayas after it was struck by Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, and the recent landslide in Maco and Masara among others.
In 2016, Davao City’s Central 911 also became the blueprint of the National Emergency Hotline 911.
Baloran shared that every day, their office caters to various local government units and private institutions who benchmark its best practices especially that of Central 911’s.
Central 911 has also garnered several awards and recognitions including the coveted Gawad KALASAG Hall of Fame award in 2024.
The Gawad KALASAG is considered the highest award given to local government units in the country that have shown notable disaster risk reduction and management response, as well as humanitarian assistance programs. Davao City has won the award several times in the past making it the first Local Government Unit in the Philippines to have been inducted as a Hall of Famer.
This is a testament to the commitment of the City Government of Davao, through the Central 911, to a disaster-resilient, safe Davao City. CIO
