Cebu City’s local government has taken a giant step in bringing its public safety and security infrastructure to next-generation, world-class standards.
Mayor Mike Rama and Vice Mayor Alvin Garcia (Acting Mayor) have spearheaded a transformative partnership with NGA 911, LLC, an American company renowned for its pioneering 911 services across the United States.
The company stands at the forefront of innovation, harnessing cutting-edge Next Generation technology to revolutionize emergency response systems. With state-of-the-art capabilities, NGA911’s systems empower responders to swiftly receive calls, pinpoint caller locations, execute dispatch operations, and seamlessly integrate with Cebu City’s existing infrastructure, including CCTV networks. This integration promises a unified, digital platform, ensuring efficient, recorded responses to emergencies as they happen.
The introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities by the NGA system will revolutionize how Cebu City residents can access emergency responders. Besides using traditional mobile and landline calls to report emergencies, citizens will soon be able to do the same via SMS and instant messaging applications, expanding the accessibility and speed of emergency response services.
Mr. Dante V. Arcilla Jr., Department Head of MICS (Management Information and Computer Services) who made a meticulous analysis and evaluation of the system greatly influenced Cebu City’s decision to partner with NGA 911. “Through this collaboration, the city aims to meet not only its current but also future technological requirements, bolstering its capacity to respond rapidly and robustly to crises. By integrating NGA 911’s systems with our existing emergency infrastructure, we anticipate heightened resilience and redundancy in disaster scenarios, as well as enhanced situational awareness for our first responders,” the MICS head said.
Mayor Mike Rama has always emphasized the importance of public safety and has made it paramount in the city’s agenda. “Ensuring the safety of our residents is our top priority,” Mayor Rama said. Mr. Arcilla echoed the sentiment, saying, “This partnership will not only raise public safety standards but also spur economic growth. With enhanced safety measures, tourism will flourish, consumer confidence will rise, and businesses will be encouraged to invest in our city.”
As Cebu City marches towards a safer, more technologically adept future, the partnership with NGA 911 stands as a testament to its commitment to safeguarding its citizens and fostering prosperity, city officials said.