Local operator Globe Telecom has asked the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to remind several local government units (LGUs) which are still requiring unnecessary permits to build new cell sites.
The Ayala-owned telco said certain LGUs in NCR, Negros Oriental, Bulacan, Cebu, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur and Cagayan still have locational clearances, conformity to local zoning ordinances, Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution, Neighbors Consent, and Barangay Resolution as requirements for granting the permits.
These permits are no longer required under the Bayanihan Act 2, the company asserted.
“We need to move forward as demand for connectivity continues to build up and for us to do this, we need the full cooperation and support of all LGUs,” said Froilan Castelo, Globe’s general counsel.
The Bayanihan Act 2 fast-tracked the issuance of permits for telco infra builds as it slashed the number of local and national permits needed to construct new towers across the country. As of December 2020, Globe has built 10,395 cell towers in its portfolio.
“We commend several of our LGUs who have followed to the letter the provisions of Bayanihan Act 2. We wish that other LGUs, which until now didn’t have a one-stop shop for permitting concerns in their respective municipal or city halls, will also comply as soon as possible. By doing so, we can also extend to our customers the improvements in our call, SMS and browsing service that we have implemented in other areas of the country,” said Castelo.
Last year, several LGUs in Palawan, Nueva Ecija, Negros Oriental, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Quezon, Batangas, Cavite and Ifugao set up their respective one-stop shops.
Makati, Manila, Marikina, and Mandaluyong in Metro Manila; and Calamba in Laguna were also among the LGUs complying with the provisions.
