WHEREAS, Sections 4 and 5, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provide that the prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people, and that the maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy;

WHEREAS, the frequency of natural disasters and the threat to peace and order posed by criminality and other disturbances require the dedicated efforts of both the government and the private sector;

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 226 (s. 2003), in relation to Administrative Order (AO) No. 36 (s. 2002), institutionalized the Patrol œ117  Hotline Network as the Nationwide Emergency Hotline Number and provided a mechanism that promotes peace and order and public safety through the joint efforts of the government, the private sector, and civil society;
 
WHEREAS, there is a need to change the PATROL œ117  Hotline Network to Emergency 911 Hotline Number to conform with international standards on emergency numbers for public telecommunication networks;

WHEREAS, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), through Memorandum Order No. 07-07-2016, dated 20 July 2016, has made available the code œ911  for the use of the Government and has ordered the assignment of code œ911  as the Emergency Hotline Number nationwide;

WHEREAS, there is a need to improve public safety services and existing peace and order and public safety mechanisms by providing a clear command structure for responsibility and accessibility, and by encouraging and facilitating the prompt deployment of a seamless nationwide communication infrastructure for emergency services; and

WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution provides that the President shall ensure that the laws are faithfully executed;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Institutionalizing the Use of 911 as the Nationwide Emergency Hotline Number. The number œ911  is hereby institutionalized as the Nationwide Emergency Hotline Number, to be known as the Emergency 911 Hotline, replacing the number œ117 .

SECTION 2. The Emergency 911 National Program. The Emergency 911 National Program shall consist of the following:

a.    The  Emergency  911  National  Hotline  Public  Safety  Answering  Center (National Call Center) under the direction and control of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The local government units (LGUs) are enjoined to establish and run local 911 call centers within their area of jurisdiction using their own funds. These local 911 call centers shall, however, be under the supervision of the National Call Center;

b.    The Primary Service Responders composed of -

1.   Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) as the lead agency in conducting fire suppression operations and providing the public with emergency medical services, hazardous materials protection, and technical search and rescue services; and

2.  Philippine National Police (PNP) as the lead agency in providing police assistance in relation to public safety and crime prevention;

c.    The Major Support Service Responders, which shall provide appropriate and necessary assistance and support to the Emergency 911 National Program, consistent with their respective mandates, composed of -

1.   Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);
2.   Department of Health (DOH);
3.   Department of Transportation (DOTr);
4.   Armed Forces of the Philippines;
5.   National Bureau of Investigation;
6.   Bureau of Immigration;
7.   Philippine Coast Guard;
8.   Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency;
9.   Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA);
10. LGUs; and
11. Accredited non-government organizations (NGOs), hospital and medical institutions and facilities, public safety volunteers, and such other institutions   and   facilities   recommended   by   the   Emergency   911
Commission, as defined hereunder;

The respective roles and functions of the members of the Primary Service Responders and Major Support Service Responders shall be specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Order;

d.    The establishment of the National Call Center shall be with the participation of    existing   private   communication   carriers   and   telecommunications companies;

All private communication carriers and telecommunications companies shall ensure and provide uninterrupted connectivity and integration of all calls made by their subscribers to the Emergency 911 Hotline; and

e.    In addition to the Emergency 911 Hotline, the Emergency 911 Commission may set-up such other relevant communication channels (e.g., short messaging service, online platform and social media) to be integrated and/or interconnected with the National Call Center.

SECTION 3.  Free Service to  the Calling Public. The Emergency 911 Commission shall ensure that all calls made to the Emergency 911 Hotline shall be free of charge and other fees.

SECTION 4. The Emergency 911 Commission. The PATROL œ117  Commission created under EO No. 226 and AO No. 36 is hereby replaced by the Emergency 911 Commission, which shall serve as the policy-making body and overseer of the Emergency 911 National Program, and shall be composed of the following members:

a.    DILG Secretary, as Chairperson;
b.    Department   of   Information   and   Communications   Technology   (DICT) Secretary, as Vice Chairperson;
c.    Representatives of the following government agencies and organizations, with a rank not lower than Director IV or its equivalent, as members:

1.   Office of the President;
2.   Department of Justice;
3.   Department of National Defense;
4.   Department of Social Welfare and Development;
5.   DOH;
6.   DOTr;
7.   Presidential Communications Operations Office;
8.   PNP;
9.   NTC;
10. BFP; and
11. MMDA;

d.   President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines; and
e.   Two (2) other members, with a term of two (2) years, to be selected by the Chairperson from the private sector upon recommendation of the Emergency 911 Commission.

SECTION 5. Functions of the Emergency 911 Commission. The following are the functions of the Emergency 911 Commission:

a.    Provide   policy   direction   and   formulate   necessary   guidelines   in   the implementation and supervision of the Emergency 911 National Program;
b.    Prepare and recommend to the President, through the Executive Secretary, policies, measures, thrusts, and solutions that are responsive to crime prevention, and public order and safety issues;
c.    Submit to the President, through the Executive Secretary, a semi-annual report on the implementation of this Order; and
d.   Perform such other duties and functions as the President may direct.

SECTION 6. The Emergency 911 National Office. The existing PATROL œ117  Development Office shall be renamed as the Emergency 911 National Office.

Under the direction of the Emergency 911 Commission, the Emergency 911 National Office shall function as the primary implementing office of the Emergency 911 National Program. It shall be headed by an Executive Director with the rank of Director IV, to be appointed by the President, upon recommendation of the DILG Secretary.

Emergency 911 Regional Offices may be established, as may be deemed necessary by the Emergency 911 Commission, for the effective implementation of this Order.

The Emergency 911 National Office and, whenever necessary, its Regional Offices, shall have an organizational structure and staffing pattern that is appropriate to its functions and necessary for its operability.

SECTION  7.  Functions  of  the  Emergency  911  National  Office.  The Emergency 911 National Office shall have the following functions:

a.   Act as the Secretariat of the Emergency 911 Commission;
b.    Serve as the implementing arm of the Emergency 911 Commission out the objectives of this Order;
c.    Institutionalize localized networks of service responders upon the direction of the Emergency 911 Commission;
d.    Conduct  reviews  and  readiness  tests,  and  monitor  and  evaluate  the response capabilities of various aspects of the Emergency 911 National Program;
e.    Develop and implement training programs for emergency communications personnel and responders;
f.    Process  accreditation  of  NGOs,  hospital  and  medical  institutions  and facilities, and other civic sector institutions, facilities, and volunteers in line with the objectives of this Order; and
g.    Undertake such other duties as the Emergency 911 Commission may direct.

SECTION 8. Cooperation of all Government Agencies and LGUs. All agencies and instrumentalities of the Government are hereby directed and LGUs are hereby enjoined to provide the necessary assistance for the effective implementation of this Order.

SECTION 9. Participation of the Private Sector. The private sector is encouraged to actively participate in whatever capacity in the implementation of this Order, and to advocate crime prevention, public order, and public safety.

SECTION 10. Fraudulent, Hoax or Prank Reports. All fraudulent, hoax, or prank reports shall be dealt with in accordance with existing and applicable laws, rules, regulations and the implementing rules and regulations of this Order.

SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DILG, with the assistance of the other members of the Emergency 911 Commission, shall formulate and issue the appropriate Implementing Rules and Regulations within sixty (60) days after the issuance of this Order.

SECTION 12. New Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. The Emergency 911 National Office shall review and modify, as may be necessary, its existing organizational structure and staffing pattern to effectively and efficiently carry out the functions prescribed herein, subject to the approval by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Pending the approval and setting up of the new organizational structure and staffing pattern, the Emergency 911 National Office shall retain all existing positions of the Patrol œ117  Development Office.

SECTION 13. Funding. Subject to pertinent laws, rules, and regulations, the initial funding requirements for the implementation of this Order shall be chargeable to the Fiscal Year 2018 budget of the 911 Emergency Services, and may be augmented upon recommendation of the DBM. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be incorporated in the budget proposal of the DILG.

Subject to Section 3, the operations of local 911 call centers established by LGUs shall be chargeable to their respective budgets.

The service responders shall shoulder their own expense in support of the Emergency 911 National Program.

SECTION 14. Transitory Provision. The members of the Patrol œ117  Commission shall ensure the smooth and complete transition to the above-stated composition of the Emergency 911 Commission, and of the Patrol œ117  Development Office to the Emergency 911 National Office, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Order. In no case shall the delivery of services under the Emergency 911 Hotline be disrupted by reason of such transition.

Nevertheless, pending approval of arrangements necessary for the full implementation of this Order, the existing rates and fees charged on calls to existing 911 platforms, if any, shall continue to apply.
 
SECTION 15. Repeal. EO No. 226 and AO No. 36 and all other issuances, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Order are hereby amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 16. Separability. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 25th day of May, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Eighteen.