Año says LGUs quickly approve 1,171 telco applications for cell towers

October 6, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said local government units (LGU) have approved 1,171 telecommunications applications on building cell towers in their areas.
During last night's meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, Año said building telco towers is important right now especially that classes shifted to online learning.
“On your order, it is already fast— the approval of LGUs on applications for permits and clearances. Last week, when we discussed (the matter), only 574 were approved. Now it increased, 1,171 this week. Meaning it doubled,” he said.
Año said  428 applications have yet to be approved.
He added LGUs are complying with Duterte’s order to fast track the approval of permits after telco companies informed him that the delay in improving services in the country is due to LGUs who are giving them a hard time in their applications.
 Año said the City government of Manila approved all the applications they received.
“Manila LGU under Mayor Isko (Moreno) is very commendatory… No more pending in Manila. So I hope all other LGUs will follow," he told Duterte.
Año added that there is a provision under the Bayanihan 2 that provides for the automatic rollout of telcos in the construction of PTTIs or Passive Telecom Tower Infrastructure. Requirements are waived except building permit and night clearance permit.
“Once they comply with the permit, it is already approved and this will go on since last month up to the next three years. So I don’t think there is a reason for telcos to say that they are having a hard time,” he said.
Año said they will release a new memorandum of agreement with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to expedite the rollout of the telco towers. Ella Dionisio/DMS