Residents and visitors of Morong town in Rizal and the municipality of Mambajao in Camiguin Island can now make emergency calls to their 911 command centers using their preferred messaging apps.
NGA 911 Philippines, provider of next generation, advanced emergency communication systems in the country, has activated its secure, omnichannel platform called NEXiS Message in the two destinations to further modernize and streamline emergency response for the above-mentioned LGUs.
This means calls for help can now be made via text messaging, video calls, group chats and voice calls sent through popular messaging app Facebook Messenger, with other messaging apps to follow. The Morong and Mambajao LGUs can now receive and manage messages from these apps using a single, unified platform.
This advanced emergency response upgrade has been made possible with the activation of NGA Philippines’ NEXiS Message feature which has now integrated the two popular social media apps into one safe repository. Emergency callers and first responders can now share photos, videos and files that may help amplify the messages and information that they share in connection with their emergency. The repository safely logs all the files tied to the reported incidents.
“This is the future of emergency response that is enjoyed by developed countries all over the world and it is now in the Philippines.”
Prior to the activation of NGA’s NEXiS, sharing private information like names, addresses, circumstances and other delicate information on a public domain is not secure because necessary cybersecurity protocols to protect sensitive data are lacking. Emergency response teams must also monitor multiple apps from different stations, which may result in fragmented and slower response.
But now emergency callers have privacy and protection. “Built on NGA 911’s robust cybersecurity protocols, messages sent through NEXiS are fully encrypted. This ensures that all information – including photos, videos and files shared by constituents — is protected,” explained NGA 911 Philippines’ Country Head Robert Llaguno.
“LGUs no longer need a dedicated station for each messaging app. All incoming communications coming through NEXiS Message are received and managed from a single interface. This also improves efficiency and response times,” Llaguno shared.
Citizens get seamless access to emergency response because of the new features, Llaguno said, especially if they are more comfortable using social media rather than handheld devices to communicate. “Citizens can now use their familiar messaging apps to report emergencies. They are assured that all their messages will be safely routed to the LGU’s NEXiS Message platform so they are received quickly and handled with the highest level of security,” Llaguno added.
NEXiS Message is NGA 911’s cloud-native system that easily integrates with legacy and new communication systems and supports mapping, voice recording, video, SMS and multimedia. Besides enhancing connectivity, it also fosters inter-agency collaboration and improves crisis management with streamlined information delivery across multiple platforms.
“This is the future of emergency response that is enjoyed by developed countries all over the world and it is now in the Philippines,” Llaguno said.
NGA 911 Philippines, a subsidiary of NGA 911 LLC in the US, is working with LGUs and institutions to modernize emergency response systems in the Philippines using next generation 911 technology.
