POP NEWS DIGITAL

Emergency preparedness begins at home. Beyond keeping basic supplies such as food, water, medicine, flashlights, and batteries, every household should also have a clear communication plan in case of an emergency. This includes knowing whom to call, keeping important emergency numbers visible, and ensuring family members have accessible ways to contact emergency hotlines, barangays, hospitals, relatives, or first responders when needed. As families use different ways to stay connected every day, having a dedicated home phone line can be part of a household’s broader emergency preparedness plan. A landline gives family members—including children, seniors, and household helpers—a fixed and familiar way to contact emergency hotlines, barangays, hospitals, relatives, and first responders when urgent assistance is needed. More importantly, it helps give families added peace of mind at home, knowing that there is an accessible way to call for help when it matters most. It also serves as an ad...

The Department of Health (DoH) launched on March 17 the DOH COVID-19 emergency hotlines 02-894-COVID (02-894-26843) and 1555 in partnership with the National Emergency Hotline of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. Callers can ask questions if they suspect they are infected with COVID-19, or request assistance if they have symptoms and/or known exposure to confirmed cases or patients under investigation. The information collected from emergency calls is transmitted to the COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center and other relevant agencies for immediate facilitation and response.  “As we enhance our efforts to contain this disease, we are working with both the public and private sectors, which can provide the facilities and the technical expertise to address the many challenges that we face each day. We expect an influx of calls in the first few days of the launch of the call center. We ask for t...