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933 permits issued for telco towers

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The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) recorded 933 approved telecommunications permits since it issued compliance orders to local government units (LGUs) last month.

The PLDT-Smart has 661 documents, including permits, for barangay resolution, building permit, and certificate of final electric inspection, while Globe has 272 approved permits released by the different LGUs across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The compliance order directed LGUs to “immediately comply with the provision of Section 15 of Republic Act 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 national government agencies are promptly responding to the compliance orders that we’ve sent them,”
ARTA director general Jeremiah Belgica said.

The compliance of LGUs, he said, shows the determination of the government on 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,” Belgica said.

Even before President Rodrigo Duterte called for faster construction of more telco towers, he said 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 and among ARTA, the Department of Communication and Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Transportation-Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Department of Health-Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Building Official.

The circular, which took effect on Aug. 20, aims to cut the processing time from 241 days to 16 days only and reduces documentary requirements from 86 to 35.*PR/PNA

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