PLDT exec urges Senate to pass bill allowing easier tower rollout in villages

A high official of PLDT Group lauded the passage of a bill at the House of Representatives, providing backing for telcos to deploy cell sites in private residential villages.

File photo: Cell tower in the Philippines

PLDT pushes for tower deployment in housing projects

Following the passage of House Bill Number 10388 or "An Act Mandating the Allocation of an Area for Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure and Facilities in Subdivisions and Housing Development Projects" at the House of Representatives on its third and final reading, PLDT Inc. president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio hopes the measure would also receive support at the Senate.

The proposed law wants to require all housing projects, subdivisions, villages, or other residential areas, including socialized housing projects to allocate 30 percent of the gross area for open space for the establishment of ICT infrastructure and related amenities.

The measure also stated that permission from the homeowners' association for the use of the identified areas will no longer be needed.

This welcome development will help ease the roadblocks that telecommunications companies experience in their rollout especially in subdivisions as many homeowners’ associations and communities still prohibit the construction of cell sites and other telecommunications infrastructure due to perceived health risks, aesthetic reasons, among others, Panlilio said.

The official stressed that PLDT and its wireless arm Smart remain committed to improving connectivity, especially now that Filipinos continue to face the pandemic.