Globe partners with vice-governors to hasten permitting process for cell sites

GLOBE TELECOM, Inc. on Tuesday said it is partnering with the League of Vice-Governors of the Philippines (LVGP) to accelerate the process of securing permits to put up telecommunications infrastructure such as cell sites in the provinces.

“Globe Telecom signed a groundbreaking agreement with the LVGP to collaborate in facilitating the deployment of vital ICT infrastructure, particularly in unserved and underserved communities in the country,” the listed company said in a statement yesterday.

The Ayala- led telco has been urging the government to rationalize the permitting process for establishing new cell sites. Globe has said the process takes around eight months to get at least 25 permits to build one cell site, leading to “considerable delay” in the deployment of telecommunication facilities.

Under the memorandum of agreement (MoA), Globe said the vice-governors, as presiding officers of Sangguniang Panlalawigan in their respective provinces, committed to provide support for the deployment of telecommunication facilities.

“Specifically, members of LVGP committed to ensure that only reasonable fees equivalent to the cost of regulation of ICT infrastructure in relation to the process of reviewing ordinances passed by municipalities and cities in their respective provinces,” Globe said.

The LVGP will also push cities and municipalities to issue permits and licenses not more than 10 days from the submission of all requirements, and to exempt from zoning clearances all ICT infrastructure in agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial areas.

Vice-governors will also ask cities and municipalities to “enact a uniform ordinance prescribing the barest minimum documentary requirements and that no more than three signatures shall be required for such permits.”

Also, the LVGP will identify government-owned areas that could be possible sites where ICT infrastructure “may be installed, co-located or leased by Globe.”

Under the MoA, the LVGP also committed to “encourage” cities and municipalities “to deploy at their cost and expense their respective ICT infrastructure such as fiber optic networks and communication towers to be leased by Globe.”

They will also assist Globe in getting permits and licenses from cities and municipalities under the LVGP’s jurisdiction that have been identified by the telco as priority areas for ICT infrastructure deployment.

For its part, Globe said it will provide free Wi- Fi service in cities and municipalities that adhere to the agreement’s provisions. It will also install closed- circuit television cameras or computer software or hardware, and provide free Internet service in selected schools, city halls, terminals and other local government unit- owned areas.

“ICT is rapidly changing the way that companies conduct business and the government delivers services. This agreement shows that we are one with League of Vice-Governors in our desire to develop the ICT capacities of communities and businesses,” Globe President and CEO Ernest L. Cu was quoted as saying in the statement.

Globe has installed 500 long-term evolution (LTE) cell sites as of December 2016 — mostly in Metro Manila and other highly populated areas. The telco giant has committed to deploy about 4,500 multi-band, multi-mode software-defined radio station equipment to about 95% of cities and municipalities in the country within a 3-year period.

The company began deployment of LTE sites using the 700 MHz band in June, following its joint acquisition with PLDT, Inc. of the telecommunications assets of San Miguel Corp. —