1-1-7
Encyclopedia
117 is the national emergency telephone number
for the Philippines
. It is managed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) and is also referred to by its official name, Emergency Network Philippines (ENP). Colloquially, it is also called Patrol 117, the name used by the Philippine National Police
, where the number originated. It is the only emergency telephone number in the world that is accessible through both voice telephony and text messaging
.
Since its inception in 2003, 117 call centers nationwide have handled some 15 million calls. However, the majority of 117 calls are prank call
s, leading the DILG to urge local government units to issue ordinances penalizing those who make hoax 117 calls.
, for example, had fifty telephone numbers, one for every fire station in the city. At the time, 117 was solely used in the Metro Manila
area by the Philippine National Police
for the reporting of ongoing crimes as part of a program called the "Patrol 117 Street Patrol Program" in cooperation with the Foundation for Crime Prevention. Efforts to expand the capabilities of 117 began in the 1990s, starting with the addition of emergency medical services to the scope of 117 in Metro Manila through a private-sector initiative called Project EARnet (Emergency Assistance and Response network).
Government involvement in the expansion of 117's scope began in late 1998, when the DILG announced the formation of Emergency Network Philippines, a project that sought to support a national emergency telephone number in order to enable the faster delivery of emergency services to the Filipino people.
On August 8, 2001, a memorandum of agreement
was signed between the DILG and Frequentis
, an Austria
n company specializing in communications and information solutions in safety-critical environments, on the implementation of the ENP project. The National Economic and Development Authority approved the project later in the year, and project funding was secured with a loan agreement being signed between the Philippine and Austrian governments on December 6.
By virtue of Executive Order No. 226, 117 became the official national emergency telephone number of the Philippines on July 14, 2003.
The P
1.4 billion project was completed on August 2, 2003, with the opening of a new 117 call center in Quezon City
, serving the entire Metro Manila area. Four more 117 call centers were opened in 2006, and the full 117 network, consisting of sixteen networked call centers, was rolled out in 2007.
117 call centers are located in the following areas:
With the exception of the call centers for the Ilocos Region, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Northern Mindanao, 117 call centers are usually located in a given region's regional center. Due to its non-contiguity, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
is the only region without an independent 117 call center, and as such, 117 calls made in the ARMM are routed to the 117 call center closest to the area where the call is originating from. This may either be the 117 call center in Zamboanga City
(for calls originating from Basilan
, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi
), Malaybalay City
(for Lanao del Sur
) or Koronadal City
(for Maguindanao
and Shariff Kabunsuan
).
When a 117 call is made from a mobile phone
, the call is automatically routed to the nearest 117 call center. However, 117 as an emergency number is not registered on most mobile phone models or SIM card
s. Because of this, the ENP supports, as a contingency measure, the routing of 1-1-2
and 9-1-1
calls to 117 call centers in the event of an emergency.
117 call centers are also capable of receiving text messages
sent to 117. This service is known as "Text 117". However, texts sent to other emergency numbers do not route to 117.
Emergency telephone number
Many countries' public telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number, sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or occasionally the emergency services number, that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. The emergency telephone number may...
for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is managed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government
Department of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines)
The Philippines' Department of the Interior and Local Government is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety, and strengthening the capabilities of local government units...
(DILG) and is also referred to by its official name, Emergency Network Philippines (ENP). Colloquially, it is also called Patrol 117, the name used by the Philippine National Police
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
, where the number originated. It is the only emergency telephone number in the world that is accessible through both voice telephony and text messaging
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
.
Since its inception in 2003, 117 call centers nationwide have handled some 15 million calls. However, the majority of 117 calls are prank call
Prank call
A prank call is a form of practical joke committed over the telephone. Prank phone calls began to gain an America-wide following over a period of many years, as they gradually became a staple of the obscure and amusing cassette tapes traded amongst musicians, sound engineers, and media traders...
s, leading the DILG to urge local government units to issue ordinances penalizing those who make hoax 117 calls.
History
Prior to the inception of 117, emergency services were reached through a myriad of telephone numbers. The fire department in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, for example, had fifty telephone numbers, one for every fire station in the city. At the time, 117 was solely used in the Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
area by the Philippine National Police
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it does provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines...
for the reporting of ongoing crimes as part of a program called the "Patrol 117 Street Patrol Program" in cooperation with the Foundation for Crime Prevention. Efforts to expand the capabilities of 117 began in the 1990s, starting with the addition of emergency medical services to the scope of 117 in Metro Manila through a private-sector initiative called Project EARnet (Emergency Assistance and Response network).
Government involvement in the expansion of 117's scope began in late 1998, when the DILG announced the formation of Emergency Network Philippines, a project that sought to support a national emergency telephone number in order to enable the faster delivery of emergency services to the Filipino people.
On August 8, 2001, a memorandum of agreement
Memorandum of Agreement
A memorandum of agreement or cooperative agreement is a document written between parties to cooperatively work together on an agreed upon project or meet an agreed objective. The purpose of an MOA is to have a written understanding of the agreement between parties.An MOA is a good tool to use for...
was signed between the DILG and Frequentis
Frequentis
Frequentis is an austrian high-tech company that develops communication and information solutions for safety-critical applications. It offers its control centre solutions, products and services world-wide to a broad range of customers acting in various mission-critical fields...
, an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n company specializing in communications and information solutions in safety-critical environments, on the implementation of the ENP project. The National Economic and Development Authority approved the project later in the year, and project funding was secured with a loan agreement being signed between the Philippine and Austrian governments on December 6.
By virtue of Executive Order No. 226, 117 became the official national emergency telephone number of the Philippines on July 14, 2003.
The P
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
1.4 billion project was completed on August 2, 2003, with the opening of a new 117 call center in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, serving the entire Metro Manila area. Four more 117 call centers were opened in 2006, and the full 117 network, consisting of sixteen networked call centers, was rolled out in 2007.
Coverage
117 service is available nationwide. Depending on the location of the call, a 117 call will route to any of the sixteen 117 call centers located in various cities around the Philippines. Each call center serves a single region.117 call centers are located in the following areas:
With the exception of the call centers for the Ilocos Region, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Northern Mindanao, 117 call centers are usually located in a given region's regional center. Due to its non-contiguity, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is the region, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan , Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own government...
is the only region without an independent 117 call center, and as such, 117 calls made in the ARMM are routed to the 117 call center closest to the area where the call is originating from. This may either be the 117 call center in Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City
The City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
(for calls originating from Basilan
Basilan
The Province of Basilan is an island province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Basilan is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago and is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula...
, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi
Tawi-Tawi
Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . The capital of Tawi-Tawi is Bongao. The province is the southernmost of the country sharing sea borders with the Malaysian State of Sabah and the Indonesian East Kalimantan province. To the...
), Malaybalay City
Malaybalay City
The City of Malaybalay , dubbed as the "South Summer Capital of the Philippines", is a first class component city and the capital and administrative center of the province of Bukidnon, Philippines...
(for Lanao del Sur
Lanao del Sur
Lanao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Its capital is Marawi City and borders Lanao del Norte to the north, Bukidnon to the east, and Maguindanao and Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies Illana Bay, an arm of the Moro Gulf...
) or Koronadal City
Koronadal City
Koronadal, also known as Marbel is a 1st class city in the Philippines. It is the capital of South Cotabato province and regional center of region 12. According to the 2009 census, it had a population of 184,573....
(for Maguindanao
Maguindanao
Maguindanao is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Its capital is Shariff Aguak. It borders Lanao del Sur to the north, Cotabato to the east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south....
and Shariff Kabunsuan
Shariff Kabunsuan
Shariff Kabunsuan was a province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that existed from 2006 to 2008. The law establishing the province was nullified by the Philippine Supreme Court in 2008.-History:...
).
When a 117 call is made from a mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
, the call is automatically routed to the nearest 117 call center. However, 117 as an emergency number is not registered on most mobile phone models or SIM card
Subscriber Identity Module
A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
s. Because of this, the ENP supports, as a contingency measure, the routing of 1-1-2
1-1-2
112 is the principal emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from any telephone or any mobile phone in order to reach emergency services in the European Union , its candidates for accession, members of the EEA agreement, as well as several other countries in the world...
and 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
calls to 117 call centers in the event of an emergency.
117 call centers are also capable of receiving text messages
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
sent to 117. This service is known as "Text 117". However, texts sent to other emergency numbers do not route to 117.