Local government units (LGUs) have released 933 telco permits after the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) issued strict compliance orders.
ARTA Director General Jeremiah Belgica issued compliance orders to LGUs in August to release the pending permits that have not been acted by some LGUs.
For PLDT/Smart, a total of 661 documents have been released including permits for Barangay Resolution, Building Permit, and Certificate of Final Electric Inspection across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Meanwhile, Globe reported a total of 272 approved permits.
The Compliance Order directed LGUs to “immediately comply with the provision of Section 15 of R.A. 11032 and issue permits, certifications, and clearances corresponding to applications with complete requirements and fees paid that have been pending beyond seven working days from the time the applicant has submitted the complete requirements and paid all accordant fees, as these are deemed automatically approved by operation of law”.
There had been four batches of compliance orders issued according to the list of pending applications submitted by the telco companies for a total of 57 compliance orders sent to 49 cities and municipalities.
“ARTA is happy that our LGUs and NGAs are promptly responding to the compliance orders that we’ve sent them. This shows that with a concentrated push, our government agencies are able and are willing to fast track the construction of telecommunication towers to improve
interconnectivity by Christmas this year. With this, it has been proven that the road to end red tape is through streamlining and reinforcement of strong political will,” the ARTA czar declared.
Even before the President called for the faster construction of more telco towers, ARTA has started conducting hearings with the LGUs and NGAs regarding their telco permitting process while in close coordination with the telco companies.
The issuance of compliance order follows the signing of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2020 between ARTA, DICT, DILG, DHSUD, DOTr-CAAP, DOH-FDA, and DPWHNBO that aims to streamline the telco permitting process. It cuts the processing time form 241 days to 16 days only and reduces documentary requirements from 86 to 35. The JMC has been in effect since August 20, 2020.