Baguio in my pocket app set: 911 for crime reports; prank callers warned

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY --Witnessed a crime, seen an accident, house on fire or even collected garbage?   Got Covid-119 symptoms or suicide concerns?
    Mayor Benjamin Magalong urged residents to report such incidents and other emergency cases to Baguio 911 through the Baguio in my Pocket (BIMP) application.
    “BIMP-Baguio 911 is now accepting just about any concern of consequence and will facilitate immediate action through our Baguio City Command Center,” the mayor said.
    Executive Officer V Felipe Puzon of the City Mayor’s Office who is overseeing the smart city command center said the BIMP site is an alternative to direct telephone calls in reporting legitimate concerns especially in the event of heavy call traffic.
    To report an incident, log on to  https://www.baguioinmypocket.ph and press the 911 button which will prompt the submission of a picture and details of the incident.
    Concerns will be received by the command center operators and dispatched to appropriate offices after validation through a phone call to the source of the information with guarantee for protection of his/her identity.
    The informant/complainant will also receive feedback from the command center on the status or action done on the report.
    The 911 is open 24 hours a day. 
    This, as pranksters continued to hound the newly established Baguio 911 prompting the city government to issue this warning:
    “Prank calls made through Baguio 911 can now be traced and tagged.  Perpetrators are liable under applicable laws.  Please use Baguio 911 only in reporting emergency cases.  Let us be responsible citizens.”
     Executive Officer V Felipe Puzon of the City Mayor’s Office who is overseeing the smart city command center where the 911 calls are being received said at least four names are now being chased for filing of appropriate charges.
    “Another 700 are now being validated and will be chased and investigated.  We hope people will learn their lesson,” Puzon said.
    He said around 22,000 prank calls had been received by the emergency line since it was granted the go live status Oct. 12 last year.
    These calls outnumbered the legitimate ones.  Case-related calls dealt on medical emergencies, police assistance, vehicle accidents, crimes, nuisance, suicide cases and rescue assistance.
    The helpline which operates 24/7 can be accessed by direct telephone calls or through the Baguio in my Pocket (BIMP) application at https://www.baguioinmypocket.ph.