Davao City’s trusted emergency lifeline, Central 911, celebrated its 24th anniversary on September 27, continuing its legacy of providing free, accessible and 24/7 assistance to Dabawenyos.
Formally launched in 2002 under the leadership of former City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, Central 911 offers immediate response to medical emergencies, fires, search-and-rescue operations and other urgent situations.
“Ang kaning 911 is na mugna man ni siya being one of the services sa City Government of Davao to the communities nga free of charge ug 24/7 nga service. Maong ipadayon nato ang atoang serbisyo sa pag tabang sa katawhan diria sa Davao City kay mao na ang pinaka objective sa 911 nga we have to serve. We have to serve free and immediate services to the community (The 911 was established as one of the services of the City Government of Davao, providing communities with free, 24/7 service. That’s why we continue our mission of helping the people of Davao City, because that’s the core objective of 911, we have to serve with free and immediate response for the community),” Alfredo Baloran, head of the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said.
The Central 911 has also established strategically located satellite substations in Baganihan, Toril, Calinan, and Indangan with a fifth station underway in Paquibato District, bringing emergency response closer to communities outside the city proper.
Since its inception, Central 911 expanded its operations through specialized divisions, including the Emergency Calls Answering Point and Dispatch (ECAPD), Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Fire Auxiliary Services (FAS).
It’s USAR team has also extended its service beyond the city, including the search and rescue efforts in the Visayas following the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and provided humanitarian aid and disaster relief to hard-hit communities in Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Surigao, and Cotabato.
“I considered all my personnels in CDRRMO and Central 911 as silent heroes. They are the silent heroes kay makita nato sila everytime mapa rain or shine, kung naay mga pang hitabo, naa mi dinha either sa ground or didto sa incident area. Makita ninyo kung unsa gyud ka dedicated ang atoang mga trabahante diria sa 911 (I consider all my personnel in the CDRRMO and Central 911 as silent heroes. They are silent heroes because you will see them rain or shine and whenever incidents happen, we are there, either on the ground or at the incident area. You can truly see the dedication of our 911 personnel),” he added.
As of September 2026, a total of 356,100 calls had been logged by Central 911.
Baloran also underscores the vital role of Dabawenyos’ support in strengthening Central 911’s mission, emphasizing that while responders are always first on the ground, their cooperation is equally crucial in ensuring effective and timely emergency response.
“Akong hangyo ra sa tanan nga Dabawenyo nga kanunay gyud ta mutabang sa atoang mga kaigsounan especially sa atoang mg responders nga kanunay muabot sa inyohang komunidad nga muresponde sa oras na inyohang kinahanglanon (I’m urging all Dabawenyos to always extend help to our fellow citizens, especially to our responders who consistently arrive in your communities to respond to, the very moment you need them),” he added.
Davao Central 911, the country’s pioneer emergency response system, became the blueprint for the National Emergency Hotline 911 in 2016. CIO
Written by: N. Malasado
Edited by: A. Nawal