Tagbilaran City, capital of Bohol Island known as Friendship City and a bustling tourism hub in the south, is now proudly the “First City” in the Bohol Province to revolutionize its emergency response capabilities with state-of-the-art technology.
Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap announced the good news of the activation of the 911 Emergency Hotline using a modern US patterned and based emergency communication system for her city on April 25.
Mayor Yap said the port city that serves as a major gateway for both passengers and cargo handles a huge volume of travelers from other southern destinations, including Manila. Latest statistics show that Tagbilaran City under her leadership has enjoyed a consistent tourism growth of almost 30% percent year on year for the past 3 years and has become a favorite tourist destination because of its historical sites, beaches and natural attractions. Further, Mayor Jane said that “we are expecting foreign tourist arrival to swell for our upcoming and famous celebration, the Saulog Festival on April 27 that will be highlighted by colorful street dancing and a ritual showdown competition.
“It is only fitting for Tagbilaran to welcome all its visitors and its residents into a city that can give them peace of mind because it can assure an efficient emergency response when needed, ensuring their safety is a priority for me,” the Mayor said.
The decision to bring Tagbilaran’s emergency response system to the next level was borne out of the desire of the Mayor and the City Council to provide both tourists and the citizenry with world class public safety. It was also a direct response to the call of Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla for all local government units to work towards a unified emergency response system.
Mayor Yap praised the DILG and the present administration for its vision and earnest efforts to improve public safety nationwide. She said a unified emergency response system will improve coordination and communication, streamline decision-making, aid in resource allocation, prevent duplication of effort, reduce confusion and provide emergency callers with what they deserve: easy access and immediate response.
“A well-coordinated and effective emergency response builds public confidence in what local authorities can do in the face of emergencies and calls for help. It is our duty to protect our constituents and all who visit our City. Peace and order and protection, these are the cornerstones of public service,” Mayor Yap said.
Tagbilaran’s emergency response command center can now provide quick and accurate caller location, fully record all calls and integrate seamlessly with other communication devices and systems and ensure almost simultaneous, quick arrival on the scene of the emergency call. It can integrate with CCTV systems, uses data-driven analytics, identify and reduce prank calls, and now will be accessible through leading social media apps such as Facebook and Messenger, making “911” in Tagbilaran accessible, reliable and easy to use for everyone.
“This is a game changer for our City, studies show the safety of cities directly affects GDP. Safe cities attract more tourists and business investments. Our administration will continue to attack and reduce the crime rate in Tagbilaran. We will not stop until Tagbilaran becomes one of the safest cities in the Philippines,” Mayor Jane Yap exclaimed.
