E911 National Office commends PLDT and Smart for direct routing of 911 calls to NGA911 activated call centers for free

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Emergency 911 (E911) National Office commended PLDT and Smart for already routing emergency 911 calls directly to the activated local 911 command centers of Morong, Alaminos City, Pangasinan, and Cagayan de Oro City -- for free! This will further speed up the emergency response time of the concerned LGUs and provide quality public safety services to their constituents.

E911 executive director Francis Fajardo hopes other telecommunications companies and service providers will follow suit to already put into effect a nationwide unified and integrated 911 emergency response system in accordance with Executive Order (EO) 56.


The vision of a unified and integrated 911 emergency response system across the country is swiftly moving towards realization.

Advanced technology from Smart Telecommunications and the Philippine Long-Distance Telephone (PLDT) Company began to enable the seamless routing of 911 calls to the activated Local Command Centers in Morong, Rizal; Alaminos City, Pangasinan; and Cagayan De Oro City in October.

For Smart and PLDT subscribers in these areas, emergency calls are now routed directly to the respective local government unit’s (LGU) Local Emergency Response Centers. The streamlined process eliminates the previous step of routing calls through the Emergency 911 (E911) National Office and results in faster, more direct responses to emergencies.

“The primary mandate of the E911 National Office under the 911 National Program is to provide and ensure improved public safety services to the general public by providing a clear command structure for responsibility and accessibility. We should also facilitate the prompt deployment of a seamless nationwide communication infrastructure for emergency services through the joint efforts of the government, the private sector, and civil society,” said Executive Director Fajardo.

The Executive Director thanked PLDT and Smart for their commitment to ensure that their subscribers have quick and direct access to emergency assistance. Fajardo urged other telecommunications providers to join this life-saving initiative for the greater public’s good, safety, and survival.

NGA 911 Philippines Country Head Rob Llaguno echoed these sentiments, commending PLDT and Smart for facilitating the early routing of their subscribers’ 911 calls to the LGU Command Centers. This significant advancement further speeds up emergency response, enhancing the LGUs' ability to protect lives and property, Llaguno said.

“We are integration-ready for any telco and eager to work with all concerned to equip our local government units with our NextGen emergency response system that is faster, more responsive, and resilient,” Llaguno added.

Llaguno emphasized the comprehensive support provided to the LGUs they serve, including the Philippine National Police Public Safety Command Center (PNP PCC). “Our services include fully recorded 911 environments, seamless conference and transfer facilities for responders, and advanced mapping and location detection capabilities. Recent statistics indicate that approximately 90% of 911 calls received by the PNP PCC in NCR are met with response times of five minutes or less as a result.”

Triumph in Canada! Undefeated Filipino Curling Team Wins Pan Continental Curling Championships

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Philippine Curling Team is a step closer to its Olympic dream after topping Division B of the Pan Continental Curling Championship in Lancombe, Canada. With the win, they have been moved up to Division A, which makes them eligible to compete in more competitions and qualifiers for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

The exciting road that leads to the Milano Cortina begins with the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China in February 2025.

The Philippine curling team made history at the Pan-Continental Curling Championships in Canada: in a thrilling tournament, the team was the only one to remain undefeated and secured first place in the B division by beating Kazakhstan in the final. This historic triumph paves the way for the team to move up to the A-Division and brings them a big step closer to realizing their dream of competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

In the twelve intense games, the team, consisting of Christian Haller (vice), Enrico Pfister (second), Marc Pfister (skip) and Alan Frei (lead), showed their extraordinary strength and determination. The victories in the preliminary round against strong opponents such as Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Puerto Rico already demonstrated the team's strong teamwork, but the road to the final was not without challenges: In the semi-final against Hong Kong, the team mastered a hard-fought victory, demonstrating its strong nerves and team harmony. In the final against Kazakhstan, an opponent they had already narrowly defeated, they triumphed with confidence on Saturday afternoon.

Team skip Marc Pfister emphasizes: “This promotion to the A Division is an incredible achievement and the result of tireless work. We have grown as a team and proven that we can deliver under pressure. Now we are looking forward to the next challenge, playing against the best teams in the world and tackling the qualification for the Olympics.”

“This is incredible, I'm overwhelmed by what we've achieved here!” says Alan Frei. “This last year has been an intense learning process for all of us – from the first time on the ice to this decisive moment here at the Pan Continentals. Today, all the training, passion and determination paid off. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Olympic qualifiers!”

The next step: qualifying tournaments for Milano Cortina 2026

With their promotion to the A Division, Team Philippines will now face the best curling teams in the world. This new challenge opens up the possibility of qualifying for the 2025 Olympics in two (pre-)qualifying tournaments – a goal that is now within reach.

Team vice-captain Christian Haller said: “This success is proof of what can be achieved when you work as a team and aim for the impossible. The Philippines are united behind us – and we've also received an incredible amount of support from Switzerland – and that's a huge motivation for us as we face the next challenges!”

With their unique blend of Swiss precision and Filipino passion, the Philippines team has established itself as a true underdog in the curling scene, comparable to iconic sports stories such as the Jamaican bobsled team and 'Eddie the Eagle'.

About the team

Christian Haller (Vice): With 26 years of curling experience, Haller brings the technical know-how to the team.


Enrico Pfister (Second): Supports the team with his many years of experience at the international level.


Marc Pfister (Skip): The experienced curler and Enrico's brother leads the team with strategic skill.


Alan Frei (Lead): The entrepreneur, who underwent a complete transformation, is the heart of the team with his story “From obese to Olympics”.

Next tournaments:

February 7-14, 2025: Asian Winter Games, Harbin, China


October 17-24, 2025: Pre-Qualifier (location tba)


November 2-9, 2025: Pan Continental Curling Championship (World Cup qualifier)


December 6-20, 2025: Olympic Qualifier (location tba

Amnesia-causing diatoms found in Luzon shellfish farms

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


Philippine scientists have just confirmed the presence of two toxin-producing diatom species in Luzon shellfish farms. P. pungens and P. brasiliana produce the neurotoxin domoic acid, which can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and even the permanent loss of short-term memory in a condition known as "amnesiac shellfish poisoning".

The densely-populated island of Luzon is home to over half of the Philippines’ population, many of whom consume shellfish on a regular basis. An international team of scientists has just confirmed the presence there of two species of Pseudo-nitzschia diatoms capable of producing a dangerous neurotoxin that can cause severe sickness and memory loss.


Light microscope and transmission electron microscope photographs of Pseudo-nitzschia pungens var. Pungens (top two photos) and Pseudo-nitzschia brasiliana (bottom two photos) found in Luzon shellfish farms. Both species produce domoic acid, a dangerous neurotoxin. CREDIT: Botavara et al.


Poetically described as “algae that live in glass houses,” diatoms are microscopic aquatic organisms that cover themselves in protective milk-colored silica shells. While most diatom species are harmless, half of the 58 known species from the genus Pseudo-nitzschia are notorious for producing domoic acid (DA). A person who has eaten DA-infected shellfish may experience vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. In some cases, DA has even caused the permanent loss of short-term memory in a condition known as “amnesiac shellfish poisoning” (ASP).


Despite this danger, little is known about the extent of Pseudo-nitzschia proliferation in the Philippines. This prompted scientists from the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Biology and from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak to study the physical and genetic characteristics of the diatoms in water samples from shellfish farms in Bacoor Bay and Pagbilao Bay in Luzon.


“It is important to be aware of the toxic potential of these diatoms and to monitor them accordingly, but such efforts must begin by establishing their presence in our waters. To our knowledge, the molecular taxonomy of Pseudo-nitzschia in the Philippines is virtually nonexistent,” said researchers Lorenzo A. Botavara, Janice A. Ragaza, Hong Chang Lim, and Sing Tung Teng.


They confirmed the presence of the DA-producing diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia pungens and Pseudo-nitzschia brasiliana in the samples. They also noted that this is the first time that P. brasiliana has ever been found in Luzon.


At times of excessive growth called harmful algal blooms (HABs) or “red tide,” DA can accumulate in large amounts in filter-feeding shellfish such as mussels and clams. Thus, “Confirming species identities of a genus with half of its constituents known to produce DA is essential to HAB monitoring (in the Philippines),” the scientists underscored.