How Does Emergency Numbers Work in Philippines?
Last verified: 2025-06 · Asia
1The Quick Answer
Dial 911 for all emergencies; 117 reaches the Philippine National Police directly, and 143 connects to the Red Cross.
2What You Need to Know
The Philippines introduced a unified 911 emergency number that connects to police, fire, and medical services. 117 is the direct line for the Philippine National Police (PNP). 143 reaches the Philippine Red Cross for medical emergencies and disaster response. The Department of Tourism operates a tourist assistance hotline at 1-800-10-TOURISM (1-800-10-868747-6). On arrival, save your accommodation's local number and the nearest hospital contact as response times can vary significantly outside major cities.
3Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- 1Save 911 and your hotel's direct number in your phone on arrival — local staff often know the fastest route to help
- 2The DOT tourism hotline (1-800-10-868747-6) can assist with scams, disputes, and non-life-threatening tourist issues
- 3Your home country's embassy in Manila should have a 24-hour emergency consular line — store it before your trip
How does this compare?
Emergency Numbers rules in nearby and similar countries:
Police: 110. Ambulance & Fire: 119. Tourist helpline (English): 050-3816-2787.
Tourist Police: 1155 (English spoken). Ambulance: 1669. Fire: 199. Regular Police: 191.
Police: 999. Ambulance & Fire: 995. Non-emergency police: 1800-255-0000. Singapore has extremely fast emergency response.
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