Local telco Globe Telecom said it is optimistic the Senate will pass a counterpart bill requiring villages, subdivisions, and housing projects to allot an area for cell sites.
This comes after the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading House Bill 10388 or the proposed “Housing Development Digital Connectivity Act”. Newsbytes.PH was the first to report the approval of the proposed law.
The bill mandates all housing projects, subdivisions, villages, or other residential areas, including socialized housing projects, to allocate 30% of the gross area for open space to establish ICT infrastructure and related amenities.
Globe said it has encountered numerous permitting issues with homeowners’ associations (HOAs) in establishing right-of-way in subdivisions to deploy broadband fiber and construct cell sites. The HOAs’ refusal was mainly due to unfounded health risks and aesthetic reasons, the telco said.
“We are thankful to our lawmakers for their support. This piece of legislation helps address the permitting issues for right-of-way and cell site development in villages and subdivisions that affect Globe’s commitment to delivering a #1stWorldNetwork to Filipino homes,” said Froilan Castelo, Globe general counsel.
The huge demand for connectivity prompted the government to heed telcos’ plea for support in network deployment, particularly with the tedious permitting issues. Last year, the government issued two laws to remove impediments in telco infrastructure projects.
Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1) paved the way for faster approval of permits and clearances from local government units to hasten the construction of cell towers. RA 11494, otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), waived several permitting requirements for telcos.
In line with this, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also removed a major bottleneck that prevented telecom service providers from constructing crucial infrastructure projects along national roads.
“With the new development, Globe is optimistic that it can further accelerate cell site builds and rollout fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) lines,” the Ayala-owned company said.
