Constitutional and legal policy basis
- The order anchors on Sections 4 and 5, Article II of the 1987 Constitution, requiring government to serve and protect the people, maintain peace and order, and promote public welfare.
- The order anchors on Section 17, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution, requiring the President to ensure the faithful execution of laws.
- The order recognizes that disaster frequency and threats to peace and order require dedicated government and private sector efforts.
- The order calls for conformity with international standards on emergency numbers for public telecommunication networks.
Replacement of Patrol a117a nationwide
- Section 1 institutionalizes 911 as the Nationwide Emergency Hotline Number, to be known as the Emergency 911 Hotline.
- Section 1 replaces the previous number a117a.
- Section 15 repeals, amends, or modifies EO No. 226, AO No. 36, and inconsistent parts of other issuances, orders, rules, and regulations.
Emergency 911 National Program components
- Section 2 establishes the Emergency 911 National Program, consisting of the following components.
- The Emergency 911 National Hotline Public Safety Answering Center (National Call Center) is placed under the direction and control of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
- LGUs are enjoined to establish and run local 911 call centers within their jurisdictions using their own funds, while remaining under the supervision of the National Call Center.
- The Primary Service Responders include:
- Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) as the lead agency for fire suppression operations and for providing the public with emergency medical services, hazardous materials protection, and technical search and rescue services; and
- Philippine National Police (PNP) as the lead agency for police assistance in relation to public safety and crime prevention.
- The Major Support Service Responders include: DPWH, DOH, DOTr, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, MMDA, LGUs, and accredited non-government organizations (NGOs), hospital and medical institutions and facilities, public safety volunteers, and other institutions and facilities recommended by the Emergency 911 Commission.
- The order directs that roles and functions of Primary and Major Support Responders shall be specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations.
Communications integration and additional channels
- The National Call Center must be established with the participation of existing private communication carriers and telecommunications companies.
- Private communication carriers and telecommunications companies must ensure uninterrupted connectivity and integration of all calls made by their subscribers to the Emergency 911 Hotline.
- The Emergency 911 Commission may set up other integrated/interconnected communication channels (examples given include short messaging service, online platform, and social media) linked to the National Call Center.
Emergency hotline must be free
- Section 3 requires the Emergency 911 Commission to ensure that all calls to the Emergency 911 Hotline are free of charge and without other fees.
Emergency 911 Commission: composition and role
- Section 4 replaces the PATROL a117a Commission created under EO No. 226 and AO No. 36 with the Emergency 911 Commission.
- The Commission serves as the policy-making body and overseer of the Emergency 911 National Program.
- The Commission is composed of:
- the DILG Secretary as Chairperson;
- the DICT Secretary as Vice Chairperson;
- representatives of specified government agencies and organizations with rank not lower than Director IV or its equivalent: Office of the President, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Department of Social Welfare and Development, DOH, DOTr, Presidential Communications Operations Office, PNP, NTC, BFP, and MMDA;
- the President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines; and
- two (2) other members from the private sector, chosen by the Chairperson upon recommendation of the Commission, with a term of two (2) years.
- Section 5 grants the Commission these functions:
- provide policy direction and formulate guidelines for implementation and supervision;
- prepare and recommend to the President (through the Executive Secretary) policies, measures, thrusts, and solutions responsive to crime prevention, public order, and public safety issues;
- submit a semi-annual report on implementation to the President (through the Executive Secretary);
- perform other duties as directed by the President.
Emergency 911 National Office and implementing functions
- Section 6 renames the existing PATROL a117a Development Office as the Emergency 911 National Office.
- Under the Commission’s direction, the National Office acts as the primary implementing office of the Emergency 911 National Program.
- The National Office is headed by an Executive Director with the rank of Director IV, appointed by the President upon recommendation of the DILG Secretary.
- The Commission may establish Emergency 911 Regional Offices as deemed necessary for effective implementation.
- Section 7 assigns the National Office functions including:
- acting as the Secretariat of the Emergency 911 Commission;
- serving as the implementing arm of the Commission;
- institutionalizing localized networks of service responders;
- conducting reviews and readiness tests and monitoring and evaluating response capabilities;
- developing and implementing training programs for emergency communications personnel and responders;
- processing accreditation of NGOs, hospital and medical institutions and facilities, and other civic sector institutions, facilities, and volunteers aligned with the Order’s objectives; and
- performing other duties as directed by the Commission.
Government, private sector, and fraud handling
- Section 8 directs all government agencies and instrumentalities, and enjoins LGUs, to provide necessary assistance for effective implementation.
- Section 9 encourages active private sector participation in implementation and advocacy for crime prevention, public order, and public safety.
- Section 10 requires that fraudulent, hoax, or prank reports be dealt with under existing and applicable laws, rules, regulations, and the implementing rules and regulations of the Order.
Implementing rules, staffing changes, funding, and transition
- Section 11 requires the DILG, with assistance of other Commission members, to formulate and issue Implementing Rules and Regulations within sixty (60) days after issuance of the Order.
- Section 12 requires the Emergency 911 National Office to review and modify its organizational structure and staffing pattern as necessary, subject to DBM approval.
- Section 12 provides that pending DBM approval and setup, the National Office retains all existing positions of the PATROL a117a Development Office.
- Section 13 sets funding rules:
- initial funding requirements are chargeable to the Fiscal Year 2018 budget of the 911 Emergency Services, and may be augmented upon recommendation of the DBM;
- appropriations for succeeding years are incorporated in the budget proposal of the DILG;
- local 911 call center operations are chargeable to the LGUs’ respective budgets (subject to Section 3);
- service responders shoulder their own expense in support of the Emergency 911 National Program.
- Section 14 requires a smooth transition of the PATROL a117a Commission to the Emergency 911 Commission and of the PATROL a117a Development Office to the Emergency 911 National Office within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of the Order.
- Section 14 prohibits service disruption of the Emergency 911 Hotline due to the transition.
- Section 14 requires that pending approval of arrangements necessary for full implementation, existing rates and fees charged on calls to existing 911 platforms continue to apply.
Repeal, separability, and effective date
- Section 15 repeals, amends, or modifies EO No. 226 and AO No. 36 and all inconsistent issuances, orders, rules, and regulations or parts thereof.
- Section 16 provides separability: invalid or unconstitutional provisions do not affect the validity and subsistence of remaining provisions.
- Section 17 makes the Order effective immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.