Globe Telecom Inc. took to task local government units (LGUs) that still make it difficult for them to construct new cell sites in violation of the law fast-tracking the issuance of infrastructure permits.
In a statement, Globe said several LGUs in the National Capital Region (NCR), Negros Oriental, Bulacan, Cebu, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur and Cagayan still required Globe to submit permits already scrapped under Bayanihan Act 2.
These include locational clearances, conformity to local zoning ordinances, Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution, Neighbors Consent and Barangay Resolution.
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) should act on this matter, according to Atty. Froilan Castelo, Globe’s General Counsel.
The Bayanihan Act 2 slashed the number of local and national permits needed to construct new towers across the country.
Since its implementation, Globe saw a marked increase in the number of issued permits for tower builds. The telco, for its part, has built 10,395 cell towers as of 2020.
Several LGUs "followed the provisions of Bayanihan Act 2 to the letter", Castelo pointed out.
Last year, several LGUs in Palawan, Nueva Ecija, Negros Oriental, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Quezon, Batangas, Cavite and Ifugao set up one-stop shops for the permitting concerns of telcos.
Makati, Manila, Marikina, and Mandaluyong in Metro Manila and Calamba in Laguna also complied with the Bayanihan Act 2 provisions.
"We wish that other LGUs will also comply as soon as possible," the Globe General Counsel underscored.
“We need to move forward as demand for connectivity continues to build up," he said. “For us to do this, we need the full cooperation and support of all LGUs.”