City offers to assist telco service expansion
The Puerto Princesa City Council on Monday committed to help Smart Communication Inc. to fast-track the processing of permits needed for its network expansion in the city’s west coast. Councilor Roy Ventura, information and communications technology committee chairman, said his office will assist Smart and endorse its applications to concerned government agencies to speed up its expansion plans. “They are asking for our assistance. Of course, why not? We will definitely help them since communication is everyone’s need. They just need to submit a request to us and we will quickly act on it,” he told Palawan News. Atty. Anthony Louen Fernandez, Smart’s Legal and Regulatory Group manager, appeared before the Council to discuss their plan to expand the network’s wireless facilities and services in the City. “This will include the construction and/or installation of additional new cell sites and network upgrade to serve your City,” he said. Smart is eyeing to put up a cell site in Barangays Sta. Lourdes and Mangingisda, and also to improve signal for fast mobile internet connection at the City’s west coast, in- cluding Barangays Cabayugan, Marufinas, New Panggangan, Simpocan, Napsan, Bagong Bayan and Bacungan. Ventura said this network coverage expansion is expected to spur economic activities in these areas, as it would attract tourists and draw investors who might want to pursue tourism developments there.