DICT, ARTA fast-track common tower roll-out

A total of 50,000 towers are targeted to be established within the next seven to 10 years.

ARTA is engaged in talks with various LGU through the DILG in streamlining the issuance of permits to common towers.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) have joined forces to fast-track the roll-out of common towers nationwide.

In a statement on Friday, the DICT said it partnered with ARTA to speed up the processing of permits, a requirement for common tower providers as provided for under the Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Law.

“ARTA is talking with the different local government units through the Department of the Interior and Local Government in streamlining the issuance of permits to common towers because having a good telecommunication infrastructure is essential to our national interest,” DICT Undersecretary for Operations Eliseo Rio Jr. said.

Last week, the DICT along with LCS Holdings Inc. of politician-tycoon Luis “Chavit” Singson, held the groundbreaking for the first common tower in Cauayan, Ilocos Sur. It is expected to be operational over the next few months.

The tower is owned by LCS Holdings in partnership with UA Withya PCL, two of the 24 common tower providers that signed a memorandum of understanding with the DICT.

Rio added that the first common tower marked the beginning of a common tower program of which 50,000 towers are targeted to be established within the next seven to 10 years.

“What we will focus on right now is to come up with a pilot common tower program. This is the first time the Philippines is doing so,” Rio said.

“The results of this pilot common tower program will be the inputs for a more comprehensive common tower policy which will be ready by the end of October this year,” he added.

Dito Telecommunity, the third major telecommunications player owned by businessman Dennis Uy, will be the first customer of the planned tower.