Texting 117

One sunday, my wife and I woke up to a beautiful morning. While having breakfast, we turned on the TV to check out what was showing on AXN or HBO.

A while later, our neighbor pumped up the volume of their stereo who's radio was tuned to "Love Radio!"

"Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan!!!"

It was okay for a while, the program was playing old songs. But after three hours and hearing the "Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan!!!" a hundred times over, we had enough. I took out my wife's phone and sent a text to Patrol 117.

From the Patrol 117 website:

WHAT IS HOTLINE 117?
"A centrally managed and secured telephone central monitoring station provided by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and operated by qualified well-trained personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and PLDT.

"Telephones used by EMERGENCY HOTLINE 117 are equipped with the caller ID system to prevent prank calls and ensure quick confirmation and response to your emergency calls.

Ooopssss!!! I cringe at reading that from their website. Let me finish my story and you'll know why.

The first time I used 117 a month ago, I made a call to report the same noisy neighbors who were taking a whip at their karaoke. They were just broadcasting to the whole neighborhood what should belong to the confines of the bathroom - or in a torture chamber! And the Police gave our neighbors a visit! It worked! The neighbors weren't brought to jail. But at least we had our peace and quiet once more.

The second time I used 117, I texted 117 and told them about our noisy neighbor! "Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan!!!" Then I left home to do some chores. Anything to get away from "Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan!!!".

When I got back, something was different! I still heard the "Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan!!!" . But it was all in my head (syemes!)!!!!!! The neighbors have been silenced once again!!!! Wahooo!!!!

This second time around, I couldn't verify if the police came to silence the neighbors. I wouldn't know anymore. But the neighbors are silent, it's either Text 117 worked, or my wife's prayers worked or both.

So, should a person call 117 to report noisy neighbors?
After reading about "What is an Emergency" on the Patrol 117 website, I would just text instead of call. At least if it's text, I'm not clogging up the phone lines for a more life-threatening emergency call. And at least it's easy to discern from the text whether it's an emergency or not.

Visit this webpage to see how else you can text or call some government hotlines:
Government Hotlines and Txtlines
(compiled by DigitalPhilippines)

Cheers!

ka edong