Manila, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) can now ensure faster and easier responses to emergency calls made by the public through their Unified Emergency Hotline 911.
This comes after the agency reported that the upgraded version of the 911 hotline can now detect and filter AI-generated prank calls and robo calls, which previously added load to the system and delayed prompt responses.
Prank calls, in particular, clog emergency lines and slow down assistance to real callers in need, especially in cases of accidents, fires, crimes, medical emergencies, and other situations requiring immediate help.
With the agency’s modernized system, it can now identify numbers that repeatedly make suspicious or non-emergency calls, and on subsequent attempts, these numbers are no longer prioritized in the system.
Although the National Call Center recorded a 98.3% drop in prank and abandoned calls in 2025, such calls continue to pose challenges that disrupt agency operations.
The DILG continues to remind the public that the emergency 911 hotline is intended only for real emergencies, and should be used responsibly to avoid inconvenice to those who genuinely need help.