Mindanao LGUs' internet gets boost from national gov't, private sector — ARTA
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has committed to link local government units in Tawi-Tawi and Western Mindanao to the national government and private sector to improve digital infrastructures in the region.

In a meeting with local leaders in Tawi-Tawi and Western Mindanao last week, ARTA committed to meet and interconnect the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), telco and tower companies, and concerned government agencies to relay the province's appeal to top telco companies and come up with long term solutions.
Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Al-Syed Ali and provincial board members brought to ARTA's attention the bottlenecks to fully adopting the digitalization requirements of the Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, specifically, poor internet connectivity.
They shared with ARTA the resolution passed in October 2019 appealing to the country’s top telco companies to provide faster internet connection which has remained unacted upon.
"When ARTA talked to the stakeholders, the main concern is poor internet connection in the area and we ourselves experienced this. That's why we laud and support President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.'s push to interconnect government agencies in providing a much conducive regulatory environment for better digital infrastructures," ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez said.
"Because as the President said, to open the localities and entice businesses and investors, connectivity must be prioritized," he added.
In a previous coordination with the DICT, relevant government agencies, and the private sector, ARTA released several joint memorandum circulars (JMCs) which facilitated the construction of more shared telco towers and improved the country’s internet speed through a more streamlined and faster permitting process.
The agency aims to replicate this to address the concerns of Mindanao towns in the local implementation of the national policy on anti-red tape and ease of doing business.
The country's southernmost province expressed optimism to ARTA's presence to increase dialogue and collaboration.