SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular 
) 
SENATE 
s.No.1164 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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JUL 30 P 2 ;':57. 
It is a fact that criminality and other public disturbance pose grave threat to peace and order that 
is why dedicated efforts both from govemment and private sectors are needed at all times. In 
Metro Manila, crime rate went down by 60 percent despite series of killings and daring robberies 
in malls. The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that the first month of 2013 was more 
peaceful than in the same period last year with a 59.68 percent decrease in crime volume in the 
metropolis last January. Based on their data, 1,218 index crimes occurred in January 2013, which 
is much lower than the 3,021 crimes reported in January 20121. 
Although at this rate, authorities can assure the public that there is no crime wave, it is still 
imperative not only upon the govemment but upon the private sector to employ and make use of 
all available mechanisms to help curb criminality. 
Originally launched a decade ago, Patrol 117 seeks to connect concerned government agencies 
for immediate response in emergency situations. Despite the numerous issuances of the 
government aiming the same end, Patrol 117 can be further improved and developed to 
contribute effectively in promoting crime prevention and community safety. 
This bill2 aims to strengthen and reinforce Patrol 117 as an institution. It specifically seeks to 
address the problem posed by illegitimate or prank calls. Stiffer penalties in the form of a fine 
and or imprisomnent shall be put in place under this bill in order to curb the rising number of 
illegitimate or prank calls. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LLANES IV 
Senator 
1 Infonnation retrieved from http://www.philstar.comlheadlinesI20 13102/07 19058S0/january-crime-rate-down-60-
percent-pw-savs on 20 June 2013. 
2 This filed was filed by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri in the ISth Congress. 
1 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 1164 
Introduced by Senator Autonio "Sonny" F. TrUlanes IV 
AN ACT 
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'13 
JUL 30 P 2 :57 
INSTITUTIONALIZING 
AND 
FURTHER 
DEVELOPING 
"117" 
AS 
THE 
NATIONWIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR PUBLIC 
SAFETY AND SECURITY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines >in Congress> 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the " Hotline '117' Act of 
2 
2013. " 
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SEC. 2. Institutionalization of "117" as the Nationwide Emergency Assistance 
5 
Telephone Number. - (a) Telephone number "117" is hereby designated as the nationwide 
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emergency assistance number both for landline and wireless telephone systems in the whole 
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territory of the Philippines. 
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(b) There shall be a Hotline "117" Public Safety Answering Center (Call Center) in every 
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region, province, city, municipality and Barangay. 
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(c) The major service responders of Hotline "117" are: 
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1) The Philippine National Police (PNP); 
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2) The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP); 
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3) The Bureau of Jail Management and. Penology (BJMP); 
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4) The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA); 
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5) The National Bureau ofInvestigation (NBI); 
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6) The Emergency Assistance and Response Network (EARnet); 
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7) The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA); 
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8) Other agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways 
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(DPWH), the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social Welfare 
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and Development (DSWD). the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Boy 
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Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines; 
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9) Volunteer nongovernment organizations (NGOs); and 
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10) Other affiliated civic sector groups find public safety volunteers. 
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(d) The EARnet is a network of responders composed of government and private 
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institutions NGOs, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and Special Rescue Unit of the BFP, in 
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coordination with the DPWH, the DSWD, the MMDA, the DOH and other government agencies 
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and with the cooperation of private hospitals, electric companies, water distriCts, civil rescue 
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groups, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines and other affiliated civic sector groups 
13 
and public safety volunteers. 
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( e) The establishment of the Hotline "117" call center shall anchor on the mandatory 
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participation of the existing private communication carriers operating in the locality. 
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(f) In areas where an emergency telephone number does not yet exist, the National 
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Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall immediately direct the concerned telephone 
18 
companies to designate "117" as the nationwide emergency telephone number within a 
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reasonable period of time. Any, emergency, telephone hotline established by any local 
20 
government or state agency using a number other than "117" shall be changed to "117". 
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(g) All existing agreements in connection with the effective operation of Hotline "117" 
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with the private sector and the NGO's prior to the enactment of this law shall continue to be 
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enforced. 
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SEC. 3. Institutionalization of Hotline "117" Community-based Volunteer Network. -
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A Hotline" 117" community-based volunteer network is hereby institutionalized constituting the 
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Volunteer Service Responders Network. 
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(a) There shall be a Hotline "117" barangay-based Volunteer Service Responders 
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Network to be organized from various components such as the studentry, the Boy 
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Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and the 
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out-of-school youth; 
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(b) There shall be organized a group to advocate, train, organize, mobilize and monitor 
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(ATOMM) field level implementers of Hotline "117, headed by the Chief of Police of 
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the city/municipality as t,eam leader with the Department of the Interior and Local 
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Government (DILG) C/M LGOO as co-team leader and m.embers from various 
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government organizations and NGOs, such as respective representatives from the 
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office of the mayor, the municipal/liga president, the municipaJlcity SK chairman, the 
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Department of Education (DepEd), the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines 
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coordinators, the BFP, the BJMP and other affiliated public safety volunteers and 
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civil sector groups. 
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SEC. 4. The Hotline "117" Commission. - The present PATROL "117" Commission, 
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as per Presidential Administrative Order No. 36 dated May 3, 2002, in conjunction with 
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Presidential Administrative Order No. 124 dated June 2, 2003, shall continue to exist as the 
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Hotline "117" Commission. 
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The Commission shall be headed by the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government 
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and the Chairman of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), as chairman, and the 
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Chairman of the Foundation for Crime Prevention, as cochairman. 
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Its members are: 
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(a) From the government sector: 
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(1) The PNP; 
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(2) The DepEd; 
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(3) The Commission on Higher Education (CHED); 
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(4) The NTC; and 
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(5) The MMDA; and 
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(b) From the private sector: 
(1) The leading telephone carrier; 
(2) The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP); 
(3) The Bankers Association of the Philippines; 
(4) The Filipino-Chinese Chamber of CQmmerce and Industry; and 
(5) Four other members to be selected by the q,airman from the private sector. 
8 
SEC. 5. Functions of Hotline "117" Commission. - (a) Prepare and recommend, for the 
9 
approval of the President, policies on crime prevention and public safety operations of 
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stakeholders and volunteers. 
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(b) Prepare and recommend thrusts, proposals and measures that would effectively 
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respond to the national security and development interests. 
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( c) Perform such other duties and functions as the President may direct. 
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SEC. 6. The Hotline "117" Development Office. - The existing DILG Hotline "117" 
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Development Group, activated by the DILG under the PATROL "117" Commission, is hereby 
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institntionalized as the Hotline "117" Development Office to implement the Hotline "117" 
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Program which shall consist of existing uniformed personnel of the interior sector and the 
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nonuniformed plantilla personnel of the PATROL "117" Commission. It shall serve as the 
20 
secretariat of the Hotline "117"Commission. Furthermore: 
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(a) The Streetwatch plantilla and the IACCAG plantilla of the DILG shall be transferred 
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to the Hotline "117" Development Office to constitnte the Hotline "117" plantilla, 
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subject to revision; 
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(b) The said office shall be staffed with personnel, subject to existing civil service rules 
25 
and regulations; 
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( c) The said office shall be headed by a director with an equivalent plantilla position of 
27 
Director IV, to be appointed by the President, upon the recommendation by the 
4 


1 
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, subject to civil service rules and 
2 
regulations; and 
3 
(d) The said office shall have parallel organization in the regional level, to be headed by a 
4 
regional officer, and in the field level to monitor provincial, city, municipal and 
5 
barangay operations. 
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SEC. 7. Functions of the Hotline "117" Development Office. - (a) Plan and implement 
8 
the Hotline" 117" Program as a nationwide, network. 
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(b) Institutionalize the ATOMM Team Network in every city and municipality. 
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(c) Institutionalize the barangay-based Volunteer Service Responders Network. 
11 
(d) Conduct readiness test, monitor and evafuate the response capability of all systems in 
12 
Hotline" 117" operations. 
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( e) Undertake such other duties as the Commission may direct. 
14 
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SEC. 8. Involvement of Other Agencies of the Government. - All government agencies 
16 
are stakeholders in the promotion of peace and order and public safety. 
17 
Hence, they shall provide the necessary support in the advocacy for and the 
18 
implementation of this program with the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government as the 
19 
lead coordinator. 
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SEC. 9. Participation by the Private Sector. - The private sector and the NGOs are 
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enjoined to actively participate in whatever capacity in advocating crime prevention and public 
23 
safety by supporting Hotline" 117". 
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SEC. 10. Penalties for Illegitimate "1 I 7" Calls. - (a) Definition of an Illegitimate Caller 
26 
- Whoever accesses Hotline "117" for the purpose of making a prank call, false alarm, deceitful 
27 
complaint or giving untrue inforr:nation which could result in the emergency response of any 
5 


1 
public safety agency or cause delay in answering legitimate calls is an illegitimate caller an.d 
2 
shall therefore be punished as follows: 
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(1) For the first offense, a fine of Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) shall be 
4 
imposed; 
5 
(2) For the second offense by the same offender, a fine of Ten thousand pesos 
6 
(Pl0,000.00) shall be imposed; 
7 
(3) For the third offense by the same offender, a fine of Twenty thousand pesos 
8 
(P20,000.00) and imprisonment for a perio,d of fifteen (15) to thirty (30) days, 
9 
at the discretion of the court, shall be imposed; and 
10 
(4) For succeeding offenses committed by the same offender, a fine of Fifty 
11 
thousand pesos (P50,000.00) and imprisonment for a period of one month and 
12 
one day to six months, at the discretion of the court, shall be imposed. 
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(b) A call made to Hotline" 117" constitutes an authorization or consent by the caller for 
14 
hislher distress call to be automatically recorded. In case the call turns out to be 
15 
illegitimate, the recording shall be used as evidence against the offender and the 
16 
provisions of Republic Act No. 4200, otherwise known as the "Anti.Wiretapping 
17 
Act", cannot be invoked by the offender. 
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(c) A telecommunications company can be compelled, through a subpoena duces tecum 
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issued by a duly authorized govemment agency, to disclose the name and address of 
20 
the owner/subscriber of the telephone line from where an illegitimate call was 
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established to have originated. 
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SEC. 12. Funding. - The funding requirements needed to sustain the institutionalization 
24 
of Hotline" 117" shall be derived from: 
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(a) The regular appropriations of the DILG; 
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(b) The imposition of a reasonable call fee to' .callers for the value-added service of 
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Hotline "117" based on the generally accepted practice in other countries. Funds 
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derived from this source shall strictly be used for the modernization and upgrading of 
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, . 
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the program. The amount and mechanics of the collection and use of the emergency 
call fee shall be contained in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act; and 
( c) The proceeds from the different fines imposed and collected in the enforcement of this 
Act. 
6 
SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the Interior and 
7 
Local Government shall fonnulate and issue the'c,implementing rules and regulations (IRRs) 
8 
necessary for the efficient and effective impl.ementation of the provisions of this Act within one 
9 
month from its effectivity, Said IRR shall be reviewed every year thereafter and revised upon the 
10 
recommendation by the Hotline "117" Commission for the purpose of updating its efficiency and 
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effectiveness. 
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SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and 
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rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be found 
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unconstitutional by a court of I aw, such provision shall be severed from the remainder of this 
19 
Act, and such action shall not affect the enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Act. 
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SEC. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
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any two (2) newspapers of general circulation, . 
Approved, 
7