Bacolod City residents may now use a single hotline to follow up transactions, raise complaints and access services of different City Hall offices without having to look for separate contact numbers, Mayor Greg Gasataya announced Monday, Sept. 7.
The city government launched the Bacolod City Government Centralized Hotline at (034) 479-6100, which will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Sunday.
Gasataya said the centralized system was developed after residents repeatedly encountered difficulties determining which number to call when following up concerns with different city departments.
“The challenge for our residents has always been that when they need to follow something up, they have to contact different departments, and every office has a different number,” Gasataya said.
He said the city spent the past several months finalizing a system where residents could contact one number regardless of which Bacolod City government office handles their concern.
The last four digits of the hotline, 6100, correspond to Bacolod City’s ZIP code.
Residents may use the hotline for inquiries, appointments, follow-ups and complaints involving city government services, including concerns on garbage collection, traffic, social welfare assistance, health services, permits and other transactions under the Bacolod LGU.
Gasataya stressed that the hotline is different from the emergency 911 system, which the city has also been authorized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to operate locally.
“For emergencies, call 911. If your concern involves a city government service, call 479-6100,” he said.
The localized 911 service operates 24 hours a day, while the centralized City Hall hotline will initially run from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Gasataya said the city may assess later whether the service needs to operate around the clock.
Each call or request coursed through the new hotline will be assigned a reference number or support ticket, allowing residents and City Hall personnel to track its status.
Requests can also be monitored online through the city’s Case 6100 tracking system.
Gasataya said calls are recorded and the system allows the city to determine who received a concern, what action was taken and whether the responsible office has provided an update.
If a concern remains unresolved, it will continue appearing on the city’s monitoring dashboard instead of simply being lost after referral to another office, he said.
He said the centralized system is intended to improve accountability because City Hall can monitor whether a complaint or request has actually been acted upon.
The hotline will initially cover only offices and services directly under the Bacolod City government.
Gasataya said the city deliberately excluded national government agencies for now to avoid overwhelming the system, but expanding its coverage may be considered in the future.
He also acknowledged the possibility of prank or nuisance calls, saying incoming numbers and calls will be recorded while the city observes data privacy requirements.
Gasataya said the centralized hotline is part of the city government’s effort to make services easier to access and give residents a clearer way to follow up concerns until they are resolved.
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