LGUs, homeowners associations urged to fast-track ICT infra rollouts

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Thursday appealed to local government units (LGUs) and homeowners associations (HOAs) to ease requirements and streamline their procedures to support the rollout of cell sites and other ICT infrastructure for telecommunication companies and internet service providers.

The DICT emphasized the need for LGUs and HOAs to cooperate in the public’s need for connectivity and better quality of ICT services especially during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Internet access has become an essential utility in our collective efforts to significantly improve the public health situation. With that in mind, we should keep working together for the continued improvement of our internet connectivity infrastructure,” DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan said in a statement.

The department also appealed to all checkpoint officials and other entities enforcing the quarantine to ensure unhampered movement of ICT personnel and equipment of telecommunications companies, internet service providers, and cable television providers, including those who perform indirect services such as technical, sales, other support personnel. It added that third-party contractors doing sales, installation, maintenance and repair works should also be provided with unhampered movement.

According to Honasan, the appeal is in line with the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 30 and the Office of the President’s Executive Order No. 112, which confirmed and adopted the IATF’s Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines.

EDV