The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order No. 32 series of 2023 which streamlines the permitting process for the construction of telecommunications and Internet infrastructure on Sept. 25, 2023.
As an agency mandated to oversee the ease of doing business in the country, ARTA’s role in the IRR focuses on the delays in the processing of the application for government-issued licenses, clearances, permits, certifications or authorizations.
ARTA said it would also monitor unresponsive government institutions and report public officials or representatives who illegally and without valid cause shall prevent, stop, refuse, threaten, or intimidate any telecommunication companies.
“Our goal is a nation where every Filipino, regardless of their location or circumstance, enjoys equal access to the opportunities and advantages that modern communication technology brings,” said ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez.
He said the government is creating an ecosystem “where digitalization is not a luxury but a necessity, where connectivity is not a privilege but a right.”
The IRR provides for the proper implementation of EO 32 as it formalizes and standardizes the new regulation’s guidelines.
The Technical Working Group (TWG), headed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) with members from ARTA, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) converged together to craft the IRR.
Among the provisions of the IRR are the delineated requirements as well as standardized processing period and assessment of fees.
Along with investment opportunities, the effectiveness of EO 32 unlocks economic possibilities through opening jobs to the public, as well as improving the competitiveness of each telecommunications company.
Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) strategic convenor Sabin Aboitiz reiterated PSAC’s commitment to active collaboration with stakeholders in the telecommunications sector.
“We are not only optimistic about the immediate advancements, but also in the long-term trajectory of the Philippines in terms of innovation and growth in the telecommunications sector,” Aboitiz said in speech delivered by PSAC deputy lead secretariat David Jude Sta. Ana.
The EO, issued on July 2023, directs the streamlining of procedures to obtain authorizations, licenses, clearances, certificates, and permissions for the construction and operation of telecommunications and internet infrastructure in the Philippines.
The streamlined regulation encourages an environment where local and foreign investment can thrive, an initiative aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s thrust to leverage digital technology in transforming the bureaucracy in the Philippines.