House Ways and Means Committee Chairperson and Albay Representative Joey Salceda filed a measure amending the Building Code to require condominiums to order areas for telecommunications amenities.
Under House Bill No. 8534, the lawmaker mentioned, “Buildings or structures and property developments shall be provided, as part of mandatory basic requirements, telecommunications/ICT infrastructure in accordance to the relevant technical specifications and requirements defined by the industry and/or latest Philippine electronics codes.”
Salceda identified that there have been not less than 160,000 condominium items in Metro Manila alone, housing practically one million folks––most of whom had been working-class households, college students, or younger professionals in want of quick and dependable web.
“Telecom services are now as basic as plumbing. That was certainly the case with the pandemic. And that is now the case, with work-from-home arrangements,” he mentioned in a press release.
“High concentrations of people within limited spaces can be taxing on telecommunications services, especially on bandwidth, unless adequate provision is given for telecommunications facilities. Without specific mandates to ensure digital connectivity in such complexes, the ability of internet service providers and other telecommunications service providers to deliver to their clients will be significantly hampered,” he added.
Salceda thus counseled President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for issuing Executive Order 32 to streamline the allowing course of for the development of telecommunications and web infrastructure within the nation.
“The expedited tower permitting policy boosted internet speeds between 2020 and 2022 by 140%, while reducing prices by as much as 41%. Rarely do we do something right by way of policy. And it’s an excellent move on the part of PBBM that he saw the wisdom in reviving it,” the congressman mentioned.
Under EO 32, authorities businesses and native authorities items might be coated by a set of pointers for the issuance of permits, licenses, clearances, certifications, and authorizations for the institution of telecommunications and web infrastructures.
This will embrace the development, set up, restore, operation, and upkeep of Shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure; and, erection of poles, set up of aerial and underground cables and amenities, underground fiber ducts, floor terminals, and different transmission telecommunications and web infrastructure and amenities. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
