Residents and visitors in Morong, Rizal, and the municipality of Mambajao on Camiguin Island are now empowered to make emergency calls through their preferred messaging apps and social media platforms. This enhancement is part of a broader initiative aimed at modernizing emergency response systems and bolstering public safety in these regions.
Next-Gen Emergency Response in Mambajao
Mambajao, a third-class municipality in Northern Mindanao, proudly activated its local 911 emergency hotline on February 27, marking it as the first next-generation 911-enabled command center in the region. This innovative system ensures that all emergency calls are directed to the command center, allowing responders to engage within seconds. The response time at the site of the call has impressively decreased to just three to seven minutes.
At the heart of this transformation is Next Generation Advanced (NGA) 911 Philippines, the nation’s leading provider of next-generation emergency communication systems. They have launched a secure, omnichannel platform known as NEXiS Message in these two local government units (LGUs). This new system enables emergency calls to be placed not only through traditional voice methods but also via text messages, video calls, group chats, and voice calls through popular applications like Facebook Messenger, with plans to expand to additional messaging platforms in the near future.
Prior to this advancement, emergency response teams encountered significant challenges in monitoring multiple applications across various stations, which often resulted in fragmented communication and delayed response times. The sharing of sensitive information such as names, addresses, and incident details over public channels also raised security concerns due to inadequate cybersecurity measures.
With the implementation of NEXiS Message, LGUs can now receive and manage all incoming messages through a single, unified platform. This streamlining allows responders to act swiftly and effectively. The system also securely stores all shared photos, videos, and files related to emergency incidents, providing first responders with comprehensive information to better address situations.
“Built on NGA 911’s robust cybersecurity protocols, messages sent through NEXiS are fully encrypted. This ensures that all information, including photos, videos, and files shared by constituents, is protected,” explained Robert Llaguno, Country Head of NGA 911 Philippines. He further emphasized that the platform simplifies operations by negating the need for dedicated stations for each messaging application.
“All incoming communications through NEXiS Message are received and managed from a single interface, which enhances efficiency and response times,” Llaguno noted. This update also aligns with citizens’ communication preferences, particularly for those who feel more comfortable using social media for reporting emergencies.
“Citizens can now use their familiar messaging apps to report emergencies,” Llaguno added, highlighting the platform’s user-friendly approach.
NEXiS Message is a cloud-native system that seamlessly integrates with both legacy and modern communication technologies. It supports mapping, voice recording, video, SMS, and multimedia messaging. Beyond enhancing connectivity, it fosters inter-agency collaboration and streamlines crisis management by ensuring information flows effortlessly across platforms.
“This is the future of emergency response enjoyed by developed countries worldwide, and it is now here in the Philippines,” Llaguno stated, reflecting on the significance of this advancement.
NGA 911 Philippines, a subsidiary of NGA 911 LLC based in California, continues to forge partnerships with LGUs and institutions across the nation to introduce next-generation 911 technology to more communities, thereby modernizing and enhancing the country’s emergency response capabilities. Recently, it received certification from the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), a global standards body for emergency services in the United States, Canada, and beyond.
