Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday led the turnover of 20 Unified 911 emergency response motorcycles to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Bicol Region, strengthening the government’s capacity to bring faster emergency assistance closer to communities.

Despite inclement weather brought by the monsoon and typhoon, Remulla, together with PNP Chief PGen Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., Police Regional Office 5 Director PBGen Erosito Miranda, Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte, and Albay Governor Noel Rosal, spearheaded the turnover ceremony at Camp BGen Simeon A. Ola in Legazpi City on August 10, 2026.

The 20 emergency response motorcycles were turned over to the Albay Police Provincial Office and Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office as part of the DILG’s continuing rollout of Unified 911 response capabilities across the country.

Remulla said the additional mobility will help police personnel, working alongside local government units and other emergency responders, reach people faster during emergencies, particularly in areas where every minute of response time matters.

He said the initiative forms part of the national government’s push, under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to strengthen emergency response systems and ensure that Filipinos can count on immediate government assistance when lives and communities are at risk.

The Bicol turnover is part of a broader distribution of emergency response vehicles, with 20 more units set to be turned over to the Makati City Police Station and another 50 to PNP Police Regional Office VIII.

On the same day, Remulla attended the 3rd Quarter Full Council Meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council V (RPOC V), where national and local officials discussed measures to further strengthen and sustain peace, security, and public safety across the Bicol Region.

During the meeting, PRO 5 presented its operational accomplishments and contributions to the PNP Focused Agenda and the DILG’s Safer Cities initiatives, including efforts to prevent and suppress criminal activities and strengthen community-based approaches to peace and security.

Remulla underscored the importance of sustained coordination among the DILG, law enforcement agencies, local governments, and communities in building safer and more resilient communities.

The DILG Chief said strengthening public safety requires both capable responders on the ground and a government system that can quickly connect people in distress to the help they need.

Through Unified 911, the government continues to integrate police, fire, medical, search and rescue, and other emergency services under a single hotline, ensuring a more coordinated and responsive system for Filipinos nationwide.