The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has created a special task force to monitor and ensure the compliance of all agencies especially local government units (LGUs) with the easier process of issuing permits for the construction of telecommunication towers. This move was made following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive for telco companies to improve their services until December.
According to ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica, the ARTA and the Department of Information and Technology (DICT) have been continuously coordinating with various agencies under the National Effort on the Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Interrelated Agencies Program (NEHEMIA).
A joint memorandum circular that aims to hasten the processing of requirements from 8 months to 16 days and to reduce the required documents from 86 to 35 has also been signed as initiated by the ARTA and DICT.
“Accordingly, we need at least 50,000 additional towers for the country in order to be competitive with our ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) neighbors.” Belgica added. – PTV News
