AMID POWER OUTAGES AND LIMITED COMMUNICATION

DESPITE widespread power outages and communication breakdowns caused by Typhoon Emong (international name: Go-may), Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) officer-in-charge Brig. Gen. Dindo Reyes said the 911 emergency hotline played a critical role in delivering assistance to affected residents during the storm.

“Maraming tumatawag sa 911,” Reyes said in an interview, referring to the flurry of emergency calls received following the typhoon’s landfall on July 25.

“The 911 calls go straight to the national headquarters, but communication lines were severely disrupted because of fallen trees and posts. Still, we did everything to respond immediately to those in need,” he narrated.

Reyes emphasized that 911 remains effective even in times of disaster, as long as coordination between the police, local government units, and national agencies continues.

“Even with damaged infrastructure, we managed to send help based on what we monitored from our regional command,” he said. The police deployed mobile radio communication and dispatched personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion to augment local stations, particularly in heavily hit areas like San Fernando, La Union.

Region 1 police officers also distributed relief goods to both evacuees and fellow police officers stationed in devastated areas like Calasiao, Lingayen, and Dagupan in Pangasinan.

He also noted that quick response vans from the national headquarters were on standby to provide support in relief and rehabilitation efforts.

“Policemen are often the first and last line of defense during disasters. With the right tools like 911 and strong teamwork, we can do so much more to protect lives,” he said. (Eva Visperas)

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