Over 2,000 telco tower permits approved —DILG chief

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday announced that a total of 2,082 applications by telecommunications companies for permits to install towers have been approved by the government.

In a live briefing, Año said that 815 telco applications for towers were given the go-ahead in the past two weeks in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte's order to speed up the the release of the telco permits that would allow them to build towers to improve and expand the internet and mobile services in the country.

“Sa utos po naman ninyo na pabilisin ‘yung ating mga application ng telcos, bumilis na po. Sa loob po ng dalawang linggo, 815 newly approved telco application for towers,” Año said in his report to Duterte.

“So ibig sabihin po ay additional 815 towers ang madadagdag. So total po 2,082 na ang na-approve natin na mga telco towers mula po nung pinag-utos niyo po ito,” he added.

The official said at least 637 applications remain pending.

In early August, Malacañang directed local government units to act on applications of telecommunication companies within three days.

Globe Telecom earlier lamented that bureaucratic processes have been delaying the establishment of new telecommunications towers for years.—LDF, GMA News