BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
Boholanos have flooded social media with opposition to a request by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to replace the province’s Tarsier 117 emergency hotline with the national 911 system, with many calling the proposal unnecessary and some questioning the motives behind it.
Remulla asked Gov. Aris Aumentado to adopt 911 in place of Tarsier 117 as part of efforts to unify the country’s emergency response system.
He made the request during a visit to Bohol on Thursday, Oct. 15, when he also turned over 50 emergency response motorcycles to the Bohol PNP.
The Facebook post about the request had drawn about 1,500 reactions, including laughing and angry emojis, and 124 shares.
Most commenters opposed the change.
Remulla said a single national hotline would make it easier and faster for the public to call for help during emergencies.
Tarsier 117 was launched on March 25, 2011, under then-Gov. Atty. Edgar Chatto. It serves as the emergency response and operations center of the Bohol Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
“Big no”
Among the most widely supported comments was one from Girlie Garcia Soria, who said she was present during the preparations and seminars before Tarsier 117 was launched.
She wrote that officials have many other ways to help Bohol and asked why they would interfere with the hotline too.
She likened the change to letting schoolchildren wear sando, a sleeveless undershirt, instead of uniforms.
Soria urged residents to preserve the legacy of those who established the hotline, as well as the emergency responders, volunteers and others who sacrificed their time.
She described the tarsier as a historic icon of Bohol.
She noted that many senior officials who visited the province had praised its emergency response system without interfering, as long as the mission and motivation for Boholanos were the same.
Rosela Cecille Ludripas replied that Soria was right. Philip Lagare wrote “Me, big NO!” and added, “We really oppose this.”
Service over name
Many commenters argued that Tarsier 117 is already established and working, and that a change would only cause confusion or delay.
Choi Balz asked Remulla why change something already established.
He asked where calls for assistance would be routed, warning that if they were sent to Manila, service to the public would be delayed.
John Zumoriito Tan Velez, whose comment drew 18 likes, told officials to stop copying America.
He said calls answered in Manila would have to be transferred back to Bohol, and that a patient could die while waiting.
Angie Lurtz, with 14 likes, asked why officials would interfere with a hotline that has long been in service.
Eric Batingal Parac said quick response is what matters, and asked whether the system was being replaced only because it was not the current administration’s project or because its creator was no longer around.
Alphard Jack Yana asked where officials were when Tarsier 117 was created, saying they contributed nothing.
Now that it is working smoothly, he asked, are they asking it to go under 911, only to be compensated with 50 motorcycles?
JazzMine Abs said the name is not important, only the service, and predicted that Bohol officials would go along because they are yes-men.
Josie Dalinson, replying to a commenter who said officials should be the ones replaced, wrote that residents would not agree to replace a hotline that has long served the province.
Row D Gie said 911 sounded too much like the United States and that the number should be 0210 instead.
Andri Pogoy Bang’s Jr. said Tarsier 117 is what residents are used to, and that it is the officials who should be replaced because they no longer know how to run the country.
Vina Cañedo Nistal and LA SY Leftovers Cruz each asked why Remulla was meddling again.
Concerns over credit and cost
Some commenters raised budget and political concerns.
Emman Rebaño joked that the change was so the budget would become theirs.
Celso Luspoc called it credit grabbing, asking whether national officials wanted to claim a project when Tarsier 117 already exists.
Daisy G. Mejorada asked whether Remulla was seeking to claim credit too, and why he did not create something of his own, or whether he lacked the funds.
Ian Boñol called the proposal nonsense.
He said Tarsier 117 is better known in Bohol than 911, and that a good modernization budget would be a better use of money than renaming it.
Ross Berongoy wrote that Tarsier 117 was created by Bohol alone, and that making it 911 would give Remulla something more to boast about, so they could claim the hotline as their idea.
Arnel Lechoco asked whether the official wanted to leave a mark during his term.
Cardeno Cj said changing a number is not work and told the official to go home, saying Boholanos would ridicule him.
Teotimo Sarabia said residents can do little about what officials want. He accused those in power of abusing their authority and said they would get what they want.
Reymart Caliguid Clenuar accused Remulla of seeking to pocket money from the change, an allegation made without evidence.
History and legacy
Others invoked Bohol’s history with the hotline.
Jhonbords Bordios Jr., whose comment drew seven likes, said that if the change goes ahead, the administration would probably claim credit for adding 911 systems nationwide, including all of Bohol. He said they did not know how hard Chatto worked at the start.
Nivre Baguiosuay Elivergabaisenmerencillo said Tarsier 117 was originally the creation of Chatto, who was quick to help and respond.
He told Remulla he had no contribution to it and had many other matters to attend to.
Crisanto Pacot wrote that Boholanos established Tarsier 117 and asked Remulla why he was interfering. Ernie Torotot said the hotline should be left alone because it has greatly helped Boholanos.
Calls to focus elsewhere
Several commenters urged officials to turn to other problems.
Francis Eric Albaracin said the government has no legacy and pointed to what he described as a worsening illegal drug problem in Bohol.
He claimed sellers and users no longer fear arrest because they are protected.
Nilyn Avila Cales said there are many matters the official could attend to instead of coming to Bohol to interfere.
Some comments were sharply political. A few users criticized Remulla and the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and others directed insults at Aumentado.
Jesus Dante, whose comment drew seven likes, said it is Remulla who should be replaced.
Joel Lagamayo asked whether officials had lost their minds, and Remegio Oclida Jr. called them crazy.
Motives and consultation
Several commenters questioned the reasoning behind the request.
Arsenio Panto asked whether, if the government’s goal is to serve the people, it should add to services rather than take them away, and whether there was another reason.
Jun Sarigumba Caberte asked whether 911 could be dialed from a cellphone anywhere in the province even without load.
JO TA PS asked whether meddling in Tarsier 117 was the only reason for the official’s visit, calling the move without reason.
FinKerr Tatad Paylowmayknow said national officials had never interfered with the hotline before and that Boholanos should be asked first whether they agree to a replacement.
Neither the provincial government nor the Department of the Interior and Local Government had issued a statement on the public reaction as of this report.