Immediate implementation of EO on digital infrastructure sought

A CITIZEN advocacy group has lauded the issuance of an executive order (EO) streamlining the bureaucratic process for the establishment of telecommunication and other internet infrastructure, but also urged the government to immediately and strictly implement the EO for the benefit of ordinary consumers nationwide.

“Upgrading our digital infrastructure to global standards will empower our government, industries, and most of all, our people to be competitive and excel in a highly digitized global economy,” said lawyer Tim Abejo, co-convenor for CitizenWatch Philippines.

“EO 32 is a responsive policy move that will hopefully cut out unnecessary bureaucratic red tape that has delayed the building of telecommunications infrastructure needed to deliver faster and reliable broadband services for all,” Abejo noted.

The EO, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 4, intends to address the administrative bottleneck of securing permits for telco infrastructure. Excessive, redundant, and circuitous permitting and license requirements have been blamed as the cause for the slow rollout of telco towers and fiber networks, and consequently causing poor telecom coverage in many places around the country.