LUNGSOD NG QUEZON — Mas makakamura ang telecommunications companies o telcos kung gagamitin ang common towers para sa internet signal ng gobyerno kaysa magpatayo ng sarili nilang mga tore, ayon sa pahayag ng Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) matapos ang State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte nitong Hulyo 27.
Hinimok ni DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II ang pribadong telcos na samantalahin ang benepisyo ng common tower na inisyatiba ng ahensyang tutulong palawakin ang internet coverage sa bansa pagkaraan na iutos ng Pangulo sa kanyang SONA na pabilisin ng mga ito ang kanilang internet service.
Kasabay nito ang magandang balita na mula 200 araw ay 16 araw na lang ang aabutin sa pagproseso ng mga permit, license, clearance, certificate, at iba pang kakailanganin sa konstruksyon ng common towers o shared cell sites gawa na rin ng Joint Memorandum Circular na pinasok ng DICT kasama ang Anti-Red Tape Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Department of Health, at Food and Drug Administration.
“We recognize that telcos have existing commitments with some independent tower companies to collocate on the latter’s common towers for shared cell sites–we commend them for that. We encourage telcos to take full advantage of the benefits of our common tower initiative. Rest assured that the DICT is continuously implementing programs and initiatives as well as coordinating with relevant agencies and the ICT sectors in ensuring that the country is able to better utilize ICT for education and governance,” pahayag ni Sec. Honasan.