Government synchronizes efforts for common tower policy

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential adviser on economic affairs and information and communications technology Ramon Jacinto said his office is now in sync with the Department of Information and Communications Technology(DICT) in finalizing the guidelines for the common tower policy.

In a statement, Jacinto said DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. agreed to synchronize DICT’s position with the final guidelines to be issued by his office.

“This came about during a Cabinet working meeting where a mandated government policy for common tower sharing, as drafted by PA Jacinto, was adapted by Secretary Rio and the Cabinet,” the statement read.

Jacinto emphasized that he was given the presidential mandate to oversee and take charge of the government’s common tower policy and implement it through the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as early as Aug. 11, 2017.

He added that Rio has instructed the NTC to favorably support and implement the policy to be issued by Jacinto’s office.

“The DICT is hereby endorsing the mandate of presidential adviser Ramon Jacinto in overseeing and taking charge of government initiatives aimed at, among others, achieving a speedy online connectivity of government agencies,” the DICT said.

“Such mandate includes overseeing the implementation of a common tower policy through the National Telecommunications Commission. In this regard, please extend all favorable assistance and support specific for the implementation of a common tower policy through the NTC,” the directive added.

The NTC is administratively under the Office of the President and attached to the DICT for program, policy and budget.

“This will lead to a faster implementation of the independent common tower policy which is intended to be a win-win situation,” Jacinto said.

He added that this would unburden the mobile operators of the headache and capex of building towers and provide a level playing field for the rollout of cell sites for both Globe, Smart and the third telco, as well as smaller internet providers.

“The directive of Acting Secretary Rio to NTC effectively puts an end to the controversy generated during the past few months by DICT’s differing position from the guidelines,” Jacinto said.

He added that this further sends a clear message to potential investors that the final policy guidelines from Jacinto’s office will determine what will be implemented by NTC.

Last month, Jacinto softened his stance on his controversial proposal that limits the number of independent common tower firms in the country initially to two, but maintained that a certain cap should be put in place.

He said he is now willing to let go of his initial proposal and allow up to four tower providers to operate in the country.

The DICT, for its part, has been signing memorandum of understanding (MOUs) with aspiring common tower builders.

The agency has signed 13 MOUs so far — with ISOC Infrastructures Inc., a company chaired by Megawide Construction Corp. co-founder Michael Cosiquien, ISON ECP Tower Singapore Pte. Ltd., Edotco Group Sdn Bhd and RT Telecom Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, IHS Towers, China Energy Equipment Co. Ltd., Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., MGS Construction Inc., American Towers, Frontier Tower Associates Management, Phil Tower Consortium (Global Networks Inc. and JTower Inc.), and JS Cruz Construction and Development Inc.

Rio said the government would continue to accommodate interested tower providers as long as there is demand.

Under the MOUs, the companies are mandated to secure first a business contract from the telcos for the DICT to provide assistance through facilitation of permits, right of way and other government permits for infrastructure. 

The DICT earlier said Smart, Globe and the Mislatel consortium have expressed their willingness to collaborate for the smooth implementation of the common tower policy, which is expected to improve telecommunication services while lowering its cost.