Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año is expected to play a key role in the country’s communications tower infrastructure.
Tower company builders in the past have met obstacles in securing permits from local governments.
Department of Information and Communications Technology Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr., facing an overwhelming number of 50,000 towers to be constructed in the Philippines, has assured the tower companies of pooled government assistance in support of their commitment to build as many towers at the shortest time possible.
To achieve an unencumbered and smooth implementation of DICT’s common tower policy, Rio organized the stakeholders in the telco infrastructure”•from the telcos and the towercos to the government”•to forge a common shared agreement.
Rio said he would implement the powers and functions of the DICT to achieve President Duterte’s goal of vastly improving internet services by 2020.
The DICT recently accomplished the landmark project of President Duterte after it declared a third telecom player.
Año, former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief, meanwhile, is in a position to help the tower companies (now totaling 12) fulfill their mission with the local government units behind him.
The government is aware that the Philippines has the lowest tower density in Asia of 0.14 compared with the international standard of 0.5 tower per 1,000 subscribers. China, at 1.43, has 1.8 million cell sites of the latest record.
Local government units in both underserved and unserved areas can help the country catch up with the rest in the digital world. With much improved and more affordable internet services made available especially in these ‘missionary routes’, inclusive growth is assured.