DICT calls on House to pass

law allowing cell sites in

private villages
By: Gianna Francesca Catolico - Content Strategist / @gcatolicoINQ
INQUIRER.net / 10:17 AM June 24, 2017

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima speaks at the

launch of his departments three flagship programs on Friday. PHOTO by Gianna
Francesca Catolico/INQUIRER.net

Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima on Friday

urged Congress to pass a legislation penalizing homeowners associations who will
obstruct the government and telecommunications companies (telcos) from building cell
sites within their subdivisions.

Last March, DICT drafted a measure to allow companies to construct cell sites inside
private neighborhoods. Now that the government has completed the major blueprints to
improve the countrys internet facilities, Salalima called on Rep. Victor Yap, chairman
of the House committee on information and communications technology, to study his
departments proposed measure.

I implore Congressman Yap request his colleagues to pass a law or legislation stating
that telecommunications is a basic human right and any board or association preventing
telcos from entering the subdivision are, in fact, violating the rights of the residents of
that subdivision to the basic human right to telecommunications, Salalima said during
the official launching of the DICTs flagship programs in Manila on Friday.
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Better impose sanctions on these uncooperative Filipinos, he added.

The Philippines has only 16,300 cell sites, a far cry from the number of cell sites
operating in Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

We have a problem in Metro Manila. A lot of places are without telecommunications

services [that are] efficient and adequate, Salalima said. These complaints are coming
from Metro Manila, coming from the subdivisions and ironically, these are the
subdivisions which would not allow the telcos to build facilities in their subdivision.

Subdivisions including the posh La Vista in Quezon City have opposed cell sites in
their villages because they feared that radiation diffused by these facilities could cause
cancer and other fatal diseases, a claim disproved by DICT.

READ: Govt launches natl broadband projects

In the same event, the Department of Information and Communications Technology
(DICT) rolled out its national broadband plan (NBP), as well as plans for the national
government portal (NGP) and the installment of free internet services across the
country, especially in the remote provinces where internet access is scarce.

Kailangan po natin ang (we need a) primary network from Luzon to Mindanao so that
we could serve the government and people in the countryside, Salalima expounded.
This year, DICT plans to team up with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to
utilize the companys fiber optic network for the NBP, which will cost between P77
billion and P200 billion.

To speed up government transactions and boost efficiency, the NGP will serve as a one-
stop shop for online government services including the processing of drivers licenses,
passports and business permits. Salalima urged government offices to transfer their data
to the NGP.
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READ: DICT chief seeks EO to speed up data gathering for

govt portal
In line with its third flagship program to install free internet access at public places in
the country, DICT will offer WiFi services in government offices, public schools, train
stations and transportation terminals nationwide. /ra

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