Manila, Philippines – On August 16, 2024, the Philippines marked a historic moment with the launch of the Next Generation 911 (NG911) system, a groundbreaking advancement as part of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Emergency 911 National Office Revitalized 911 Project. It was introduced to the country by Filipino-American techpreneur based in California, Ishka Villacisneros, this initiative positions the Philippines as the first Southeast Asian country to implement NG911 technology, setting a new standard for emergency response in the region.
This launch comes on the heels of NGA 911’s success in securing the largest Next Generation 911 contract in the United States with the State of California. The United States is currently rolling out Next Generation 911, which will eventually enable the public to text 911, send photos and videos, include real-time text, and improve the location accuracy of callers—revolutionizing emergency response nationwide. This cutting-edge technology, now introduced in the Philippines, is a testament to the country’s commitment to enhancing public safety.
The First Live NextGen 911 call in the Philippines, which took only 4 minutes to respond to—compared to the previous average of 1.5 hours—demonstrates the system’s capacity to dramatically improve public safety and response times across the country. This remarkable achievement underscores the efficiency and accuracy of the new technology, which integrates advanced communication capabilities such as real-time text, images, and video to support emergency responders.
Villacisneros, who has been working on bringing NG911 to her home country since 2019—even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic—expressed her pride in this milestone. “This is a significant leap forward for the Philippines. Our people, including Filipinos abroad and tourists, can now call 911 and expect swift, reliable help. This is the culmination of years of dedication and collaboration, inspired by my personal experience where my grandma was saved several times by 911 in the United States. I am honored to see it come to fruition.”
As the Chief Financial Officer at California-based NGA 911 LLC, Villacisneros has led efforts to introduce this advanced technology to the Philippines, making it the first country outside the United States to adopt NG911. The initiative not only modernizes the existing emergency response infrastructure but also aligns the country’s emergency services with global standards, ensuring that help is always just a call away.
NGA 911, known for its innovative emergency response solutions, partnered with the DILG and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to integrate this technology into the national framework. Secretary Benhur Abalos of the DILG highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating, “Before, we did it manually. Now, because of technology, the actions become faster. It’s important that the call is being forwarded swiftly and then the location of the caller anywhere in the Philippines is being forwarded swiftly as well.” The revitalization of our 911 system is crucial for public safety, and the introduction of NG911 technology exemplifies DILG’s commitment to leveraging modern advancements to protect citizens more effectively. The E911 National Office through its executive director Francis Fajardo has facilitated the trial of a cutting edge, next generation 911 system by the PNP that will provide it with world-class emergency response capabilities like that used in the US and Europe.
Robert Llaguno, Country Head of NGA 911 Philippines says “The unique features of NGA’s technology; that is, IoT capabilities, international, global standards; resiliency and redundancy and the ability to provide the accurate location of the caller, will give the national police the capability to respond efficiently and accurately to emergency callers. For example, when someone calls 911, the location of that particular caller is immediately provided and the search radius is limited to just about 5 yards with 90% accuracy. “
“On top of that, NGA technology is able to integrate various types of available systems or applications. We can integrate with local government’s CCTV systems and provide enhanced location and situational awareness for front liners and first responders. We can integrate with instant messaging applications and provide an omnichannel queue. Emergency 911 services can now be accessed through SMS or instant messaging apps, targeting the millennial population of our nation. NGA’s technology is also fully redundant and telco-agnostic, providing 99.999% of uninterrupted service and uptime guarantee. It will future
The introduction of the NGA 911 system marks a significant milestone in the Philippines’ efforts to modernize its public safety infrastructure, highlighting the nation’s commitment to utilizing advanced technology for the benefit of its citizens. This initiative establishes a new benchmark for emergency response, ensuring that assistance is always within reach. The Philippines is also the first country in Southeast Asia to implement a complete Next Generation 911 call system.
About NGA 911: NGA 911 is a leader in next-generation emergency response systems, providing cutting-edge solutions that integrate advanced communication technologies to improve emergency services. With a focus on accuracy, speed, and efficiency, NGA 911 is at the forefront of transforming public safety infrastructure worldwide.
About the DILG Emergency 911 National Office: The DILG Emergency 911 National Office oversees the Philippines’ nationwide emergency response system. The office’s 911 Revitalized Program aims to modernize and improve the country’s emergency services, ensuring that every Filipino has access to reliable and effective emergency assistance.
