Press Release
June 21, 2020

POE: CONNECTIVITY A MUST

Remiss government officials must be brought to account for any further delay in setting up crucial infrastructures across the country to digitally connect the citizenry amid the pandemic, Sen. Grace Poe said (Dapat panagutin ang mga opisyal na nagiging sanhi ng pagkaantala sa pagtatayo ng mga kritikal na impastrakturang magbibigay konektibidad sa taumbayan sa gitna ng pandemya, ayon kay Sen. Grace Poe).

Citing the Ease of Doing Business Act and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Circular 8, Poe stressed that concerned government units are mandated to process and approve permits and clearances for the construction of infrastructures including cell sites within the maximum period of seven working days (Giit ng senadora, mandato ng Ease of Doing Business Act at Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Circular 8 sa mga kinauukulang ahensya ng gobyerno ang magproseso at mag-apruba ng mga permit at clearance sa konstruksyon ng mga imprastrakturang gaya ng mga cell sit--nang hindi hihigit sa pitong araw).

"To deny our people their basic right to connectivity at this crucial period is sheer neglect and dereliction of duty (Ang ipagkait sa ating mga kababayan ang kanilang karapatan sa maayos na konektibidad sa panahong kailangang-kailangan ay kapabayaan sa sinumpaang tungkulin)," said Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services.

Poe expects bureaucratic challenges slowing the construction of cell sites to be promptly addressed. Securing a multitude of permits such as right of way, structural, zoning, location clearance, electrical, sanitation, mechanical and occupancy compliance, approvals from the Department of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples usually take a year (Umaasa si Poe na mabilis na maaaksyunan ang mga balakid sa pagtatayo ng mga cell site. Ang pagkuha ng samu't-saring permit gaya ng right of way, structural, zoning, location clearance, electrical, sanitation, mechanical at occupancy compliance, ang pagpayag ng Department of Health, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, at National Commission on Indigenous Peoples ay kadalasang inaabot ng isang taon).

"Connectivity is a must - from health care to education and business - in dealing with this unprecedented crisis (Kailangan ang di-pumapalyang konektibidad--mula sa pangangalaga ng kalusugan hanggang sa edukasyon at negosyo--sa pagsugpo sa krisis na ito)," Poe said.

Cell towers serve to elevate antennas and other communications equipment that transmit and receive signals from mobile devices, simultaneously enabling users to maintain their connection (Ang mga cell tower ang nagsisilbing tagapag-angat ng mga antenna at iba pang gamit na pangkomunikasyon upang makasagap ng signal at mapanatiling konektado ang mga mobile device).

"Hindi na dapat pang umakyat ng bundok o pumunta sa gilid ng highway ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral para lamang makasagap ng signal," Poe lamented.

The DICT earlier raised the lack of infrastructure in the country, citing that only about 20,000 towers have been built compared with Vietnam's 70,000 (Nauna nang binanggit ng DICT ang kakulangan ng imprastraktura sa bansa, na mayroon lamang 20,000 mga tower na naitayo kumpara sa 70,000 ng Vietnam).

"It is a huge disservice to our people if we cannot even keep them connected amid the pandemic (Isang malaking pagkukulang sa ating mga kababayan kung hindi sila mapanatiling konektado lalo na sa gitna ng pandemya)," Poe said.(30)

REFERENCE:

* RA 11032 or Ease of Doing Business Act: - Sec. 15. Interconnectivity Infrastructure Development. - In order to expedite the processing of licenses, clearances, permits, certifications or authorizations, the Authority, together with the DICT, shall develop a fast and reliable interconnectivity infrastructure. In relation to this, the processing and approval of licenses, clearances, permits, certifications or authorizations for the installation and operation of telecommunication, broadcast towers, facilities, equipment and service shall be:

(a) a total of seven (7) working days for those issued by the barangay; (b) a total of seven (7) working days for those issued by LGUs; and (c) seven (7) working days for those issued by NGAs.

If the granting authority fails to approve or disapprove an application for a license, clearance, permit, certification or authorization within the prescribed processing time, said application shall be deemed approved: Provided, That when the approval of the appropriate local legislative body is necessary, a nonextendible period of twenty (20) working days is hereby prescribed.

For homeowners and other community clearances, the officers of the homeowners association shall be given ten (10) working days to refer the application to the members of the association pursuant to Section 10(k) of Republic Act No. 9904, otherwise known as the "Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners' Associations": Provided, That a nonextendible period of thirty (30) working days is granted the homeowners association to give its consent or disapproval: Provided, further, That in case of disapproval, the granting authority shall notify the applicant or requesting party within the prescribed period of the reason/s for disapproval as well as remedial measures that may be taken by the applicant or requesting party.

Within three (3) months upon the approval of the IRR of this Act, the Authority, in coordination with the DICT, shall review and recommend the repeal of outdated, redundant and unnecessary licenses, clearances, permits, certifications or authorizations being required by NGAs, LGUs, and private entities.

* Department of Information and Communications Technology Circular No. 8: - Section 21. Mandatory Timelines for Barangays, LGU, and NGA Permitting and Certification. - In accordance with §15 of RA 9485, as amended by RA 11032, other applicable laws, circulars, rules and regulations, and issuances, the maximum time periods for processing and approving the application of an ITC for licenses, clearances, permits, certifications or authorizations to construct, install or operate its PTTIs shall be as follows:

(a) a total of seven (7) working days for those issued by the barangay; (b) a total of seven (7) working days for those issued by LGUs; and (c) seven (7) working days for those issued by the NGAs.

When the approval of the appropriate local legislative body is necessary, a non-extendible period of twenty (20) working days is hereby prescribed.

News Latest News Feed