What to do and Who to call during an emergency in the Philippines

Emergency in the Philippines right now? Call 911. The nationwide Unified 911 service connects urgent police, fire, ambulance, rescue and disaster requests. Say your province, municipality or city, barangay, street or landmark, and what has happened. If anyone is unconscious, severely injured, threatened by violence, trapped by floodwater or facing fire, call first and read later.

This guide serves Filipino families, overseas visitors and people assisting others across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It begins with the practical numbers and immediate actions, then explains typhoons, flooding, storm surge, earthquakes, tsunami danger, road crashes and what to do while waiting for help. Official sources checked 4 November 2026.

Who to call in the Philippines: quick emergency reference

911 — National Emergency Hotline: the main contact for police, ambulance, fire, rescue and urgent disaster response. It is free and operates around the clock.
143 — Philippine Red Cross: the Red Cross contact for humanitarian support and its emergency-related services; do not delay a 911 call for a life-threatening incident.
Local barangay, city or municipal disaster response office: use its officially published emergency contact for shelter, evacuation centres, local transport or relief arrangements when appropriate.
NDRRMC and regional DRRM offices: national and regional disaster coordination and situation information, not a replacement for 911 when someone urgently needs rescuing.
117 — older police emergency number: government directories may still mention it, but Executive Order No. 56 and the September 2025 Unified 911 rollout establish 911 as the nationwide priority number. Memorise 911, not a collection of legacy lines.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government launched Unified 911 on 11 September 2025, bringing police, fire, medical and rescue calls into an integrated national system. By May 2026 the department reported over five million calls in the year’s first four months. Official information: Philippine Information Agency — launch of Unified 911, 2026 DILG update and Philippine government emergency hotline directory.

First 60 seconds: seven actions that matter

Move away from immediate danger if possible. Avoid flood currents, smoke, fallen electrical cables, traffic, violent threats and unstable walls. During earthquake shaking, protect yourself first.
Call 911. State if the main problem is police, medical, fire, rescue or a combination. Do not spend time finding the old dedicated number when someone is in immediate danger.
Give the location before a long explanation. Say province, city or municipality, barangay, house or building, street, floor, landmark, road direction or nearest access gate.
Explain the event in one clear sentence. For example, ‘Two people injured in a motorcycle crash’ or ‘Water is rising and three people are trapped on the second floor’.
Identify the people affected. Say how many are unconscious, bleeding, trapped, unable to move or at special risk.
Follow the call-taker’s directions and remain reachable. Ask if someone should start CPR or bring an AED, and provide only first aid that is safe or instructed.
Make access easier. If safe, arrange for a neighbour to meet emergency crews at the barangay road, street entrance, building lobby or boat landing.

A useful emergency script is: ‘Emergency ambulance, please. A man has collapsed at [house number], Barangay [name], [city], [province], near [landmark]. He is not responding. My number is [number].’ In Filipino, the opening can be ‘Kailangan po ng ambulansya’ (‘We need an ambulance’). The exact location matters more than polished wording.

How Unified 911 works and why old lists can mislead

Emergency reports reach a national system designed to route them to relevant responders and local agencies. The caller still needs to describe the situation and the address. A phone number cannot remove physical barriers: narrow streets, flood-damaged bridges, remote island access and blocked roads may affect how crews reach you. Say what access is possible and who can guide rescuers.

Many older articles list different police, fire, hospital and provincial numbers without explaining which is primary. The government’s Unified 911 transition is intended to reduce that confusion. A municipal or barangay hotline can still be very useful for evacuation shelters, welfare and local assistance; it should not make an immediate 911 call wait.

Which emergency service for which situation?

A person collapses or cannot breathe normally

Call 911 for an immediate medical response if someone is unconscious, is not breathing normally, has severe bleeding, signs of stroke, serious breathing difficulty, severe chest pain or major trauma. Describe symptoms rather than trying to name the illness. Emergency dispatch may provide first-aid instructions. Ask another person to locate an AED where available if someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally.

Do not give water, food or pills to an unconscious person. If the person is badly injured, avoid unnecessary movement unless their present location is immediately dangerous. Keep emergency access open and tell dispatchers about changes in the person’s condition. If you have an appropriate first-aid qualification, apply it while following the dispatcher.

There is a house, market, factory or high-rise fire

Warn people, move away from smoke and flames, call 911 and use a designated safe escape route. Close doors behind you if safe, and avoid ordinary elevators during a fire unless responders specifically direct you to use them. Do not return inside for appliances, passports, wallets or pets when the route is unsafe. If trapped, report the floor, room, window or staircase where you are waiting.

In a commercial building, provide a storefront name, loading entrance or accessible road for fire appliances. In dense communities, narrow alleys and nearby electrical wiring can make firefighting access difficult. Do not attempt to extinguish a spreading fire with a small household extinguisher if smoke or flames are already compromising escape.

Someone is threatened, assaulted or a crime is in progress

Move to safety and dial 911 for police. Give the precise location, what is happening and whether weapons or injuries are involved. Do not confront a violent offender or follow them to obtain footage. When the incident is no longer an immediate threat, official police or local reporting routes may be appropriate for documentation, but a current attack needs urgent response.

A serious vehicle collision or road hazard

Call 911 when people are injured, a vehicle is on fire, traffic poses immediate danger or someone is trapped. Name the expressway or national road, travel direction, nearest kilometre marker, interchange, bridge or barangay. Stay out of active traffic lanes and away from leaking fuel. Do not move someone with suspected serious injuries unnecessarily. One person can safely guide responders from a junction while another remains with the injured.

Typhoons: early action matters more than last-minute rescue

The Philippines experiences tropical cyclones whose wind, rain, flooding, storm surge and landslide effects vary across locations. PAGASA uses Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) numbered 1–5 to describe an expected general wind threat. A wind signal is not a complete map of flood, landslide or storm-surge danger. A community at risk of severe water impacts should follow flood warnings and local evacuation orders as well as the wind signal.

Before conditions deteriorate, secure loose objects, charge phones, store water, prepare needed medicine and documents, and identify the assigned evacuation centre. Leave immediately when authorities direct evacuation; waiting until water is at the doorstep may remove safe routes. PAGASA explains the wind signal system here: PAGASA TCWS guidance.

During strong winds, move away from glass, damaged roofs and dangerous electrical wiring. Do not go outside to film flying debris. A power cut may disable pumps, communications, lifts and equipment required for medical care. Keep a backup medical plan, not just candles and stored phone chargers.

Flooding: what to do before streets become impassable

A flooded street can conceal deep holes, open drains, electrical wires, sewage and fast currents. Avoid walking, riding a motorcycle or driving through floodwater. Do not move into a basement or underpass where water is rising. Follow local DRRM and barangay instructions about safe evacuation routes and centres. Where there is immediate danger, call 911 and give the number and location of people trapped.

PAGASA specifically advises evacuating before access is cut off, moving essentials to higher levels, and being cautious about contaminated water and electrical appliances after flooding. Only shut off electricity or gas if safe; never reach submerged switches or equipment. After floods, do not turn a wet system back on until it has been checked by an appropriately qualified person. See PAGASA flood precautions.

Storm surge: move away from the coast when instructed

Storm surge is an abnormal rise of seawater during a severe storm. A coastal household may face severe water danger even while the centre of a cyclone is far away. Residents of exposed communities should know the fastest safe route inland or uphill, plus any officially designated strong evacuation building. Bring identification, medication, water, power supplies and essential child or disability aids when evacuating.

PAGASA urges people in storm-surge-prone areas to prepare evacuation arrangements and leave when the local disaster office or barangay directs them. Do not watch waves from the beach, sea wall or bridge. The water can arrive suddenly, and fast-moving debris creates further injury risks. Official guidance: PAGASA storm surge safety.

Earthquake: protect during shaking, check damage afterwards

During an earthquake, practise Duck, Cover and Hold: get low, protect your head and neck beneath strong shelter where possible, and hold until the shaking stops. Stay away from glass and unstable furniture. Do not rush down stairs while structures and items are moving. People with disabilities should adapt the protective action to their mobility while keeping the head and neck protected.

After shaking, look for injuries, broken electrical lines, gas leaks, unstable walls, blocked stairs and falling debris before moving. Avoid elevators and expect aftershocks. Call 911 for trapped or seriously injured people. Official instructions from the Quezon City disaster office give an accessible example of local earthquake procedures.

Tsunami danger after a strong coastal earthquake

If you are on or near a coast and experience strong or prolonged earthquake shaking, protect yourself during shaking and then move rapidly to safer high ground or inland, especially if official warnings or natural signs suggest a tsunami. Do not wait on the beach for a siren if conditions indicate immediate danger. A tsunami may arrive in several waves; the first may not be the largest.

Follow PHIVOLCS, local government and disaster-management warnings and stay outside evacuation zones until the all-clear. Do not block narrow roads with unnecessary sightseeing or retrieve boats and possessions while evacuation is underway. Calling for help is important when someone needs rescue, but calling cannot replace immediately leaving a threatened coastline.

Landslides and mountainous roads

Heavy rain and earthquake shaking can loosen slopes. Cracks in ground, tilting trees, unusual earth movement and falling rocks may indicate danger. If warned, move away from the slope and follow an approved route before the road becomes blocked. Do not cross a damaged bridge or drive around a landslide barrier to keep an appointment.

If a person is buried, injured or trapped, call 911 and give the last known location, access road, nearby barangay and hazards. Do not dig into an actively moving slope without competent rescue guidance; rescuers can be buried by a secondary collapse. Local disaster authorities may direct families to safer shelters outside the affected zone.

A useful local emergency contact card

Write 911 at the top with the household’s full location: province, municipality or city, barangay, street, house or building number.
Include the nearest road landmark, bridge, school, barangay hall or evacuation-centre entrance.
Save the official local DRRM office and barangay hotline, and the Philippine Red Cross 143 number.
Agree which household members will help younger children, elders and people with medical or mobility needs.
Prepare a go bag with essential medicines, water, food, ID, flashlight, charger and appropriate clothing.
Check flood, storm-surge, earthquake or landslide hazards for the community and practise leaving early.
Choose an out-of-area family contact and a safe location to meet if mobile networks fail.

How to report a location on an island, in a city or on a highway

Metro Manila: city, barangay, road, building name, floor and the nearest accessible entrance.
Provincial town: province, municipality, barangay, sitio or purok, and a named landmark.
Highway: road number or known route, direction, nearest town and kilometre marker or bridge.
Remote island: island, barangay, pier, coastal landing, resort or recognised boat access.
Mountain community: nearest drivable road, trailhead, barangay hall and identifiable access point.
Callback: mobile number and whether reception, battery or power supply may fail.

If you do not know every detail, say what you actually know. A school name, bridge or municipal building may be more useful than an invented GPS coordinate. Ask someone in the area for a verified landmark only if doing so does not delay an urgent call or expose them to danger.

Common mistakes that waste emergency time

Dialling the older 117 police hotline as the first choice instead of the nationwide 911 system established in 2025.
Calling a relief organisation before 911 when someone is unresponsive, trapped or in immediate danger.
Treating a low typhoon wind signal as proof that a coastal household cannot flood.
Waiting until floodwater is high before leaving, despite a local evacuation order.
Giving only a large city name without the barangay, street, floor or nearest entrance.
Touching a submerged electrical panel or returning through fast-moving water to collect belongings.
Assuming phone geolocation will automatically tell rescuers which gate, island landing or narrow lane they must use.
Sharing unverified weather reports instead of official PAGASA and barangay guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Is 911 the main emergency number in the Philippines in 2026?

Yes. The Department of the Interior and Local Government launched Unified 911 nationwide on 11 September 2025 to streamline police, fire, medical and rescue contacts. Use 911 for an immediate emergency.

What about the old 117 police number?

Some legacy government contact pages still list 117. Executive Order No. 56 provides for Emergency 911 as the nationwide emergency answering point replacing Patrol 117, and the 2025 rollout reinforces 911 as the main number. Use 911 as the first emergency number.

Can the Philippine Red Cross 143 replace 911?

The Red Cross provides humanitarian and emergency-related services, but 143 should not delay a 911 request for immediate police, ambulance, fire or rescue dispatch.

Should I leave during a typhoon before the water enters my home?

Yes when your local authorities advise evacuation. Leaving before roads or bridges flood may be considerably safer than seeking rescue after routes are cut off.

What if I am trapped by floodwater?

Move to a safer higher location if possible, call 911, and tell responders the barangay, building or landmark, number of people and the safest access. Do not jump into fast-moving water or use an unsafe improvised boat.

Can I wait for an official tsunami alarm after strong shaking at the coast?

Do not remain at a threatened coast when strong natural warning signs or official instructions indicate tsunami danger. Move inland or to designated safe high ground as soon as shaking stops, and follow PHIVOLCS or local guidance.

Official Philippine sources and further reading

Safety and accuracy note: This article is general emergency information, not a live dispatch service, and it cannot replace medical directions or government evacuation orders. Numbers and processes were checked on 4 November 2026. For an immediate emergency in the Philippines, call 911.