The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), along with other key agencies, vowed to continue improving the Philippines’ internet speed with the signing of a new Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on poles, underground fiber ducts, and cable laying.
JMC No. 1, Series of 2021, titled the “Streamlined Guidelines for the Issuance of Permits and Clearances for the Erection of Poles, Construction of Underground Fiber Ducts, and Installation of Aerial and Underground Cables and Facilities to Accelerate the Roll Out of Telecommunications and Internet Infrastructure,” was signed by all signatory agencies on Monday (Oct. 25).
The issuance aims to provide guidelines to streamline the processes and requirements when it comes to application for permits and clearances for the erection of poles, construction of underground fiber ducts, and installation of cables and facilities along national, local, and subdivision roads, including pavements and sidewalks.
This is seen to further expedite the rollout of telecommunication infrastructure and service projects, leading to faster internet connectivity.
Secretary Jeremiah Belgica, ARTA Director Gen., welcomed the signing of the new JMC, saying that it would help the government continue with the momentum it set on improving the country’s internet speed.
The ARTA chief also credited the agency’s continuous streamlining efforts in the telecommunications sector to the country’s improved internet speed as evidenced by the latest report of Ookla, a speed test global indexing company.
The report showed that the Philippines is now at the 72nd rank out of 128 countries when it comes to mobile download speed as of September 2021.
This is a notch higher from the country’s ranking in August and a huge leap from its initial rankings in August 2017, when Ookla first began, where the country was at the 100th spot for mobile download speed.
Meanwhile, the Philippines ranked a notch lower in terms of the fixed broadband speed at the 64th spot out of 181 countries as of September 2021, compared to its August 2021 rank at the 63rd spot. This is still a big improvement from its initial rankings in August 2017 at the 94th spot for fixed broadband speed.
“This is really timely now because now, we have this JMC that we are really excited to roll out. We are very thankful to all the government agencies, local government units, and private groups that worked with us in drafting this issuance,” he said.
“This is also great news for the Duterte administration as faster connectivity is shaping up to be one of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s legacies before his term ends,” he added.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, who is also the chairman of the Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape (EODB-ART) Advisory Council, also commended the Authority for the JMC and said that these reforms are attracting more investors to venture into digital infrastructure.
Other signatory agencies include the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Electrification Commission (NEA), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC). (ARTA) -bny
