Simplify LGU rules for faster internet

DO you know that telecommunications companies need to secure around 20 different permits from local government units (LGUs) just to put up cell sites and other telecoms facilities? Aside from the many permit requirements, mobile operators like Globe also have to deal with the different political actors in cities and municipalities, from barangay chiefs, building and licensing officials, all the way to the mayors, each of whom have a different motivation or agenda for granting—or not granting—the permit to build and operate cell sites.

The excessive permit requirements imposed by LGUs are not only oppressive but also absurd considering that, unlike traditional brick-and-mortar shops, cell sites are generally compact (i.e., they occupy a small area) and autonomous (i.e., works with little or no human intervention). This bureaucratic minefield has hampered efforts by Globe and other mobile operators to build much-needed cell sites around the country.