Residents oppose Globe cell tower

A usually quiet community has erupted when a Globe Telecom cell tower started operating smack in the middle of its park and playground.

Some 260 homeowners of the First Greenmeadows subdivision in Quezon City, represented by a group called Committee for Cellsite Antenna Concerns, are fighting to oust the Globe base station/cell tower from their community.

The homeowners decried their association president and board failed to consult them and get their consent as required by the Quezon City ordinances, national laws and homeowners’ construction rules. Instead, they were deliberately kept "in the dark" about the project for almost two years. "Perversely," they said, their president even asked city authorities to delete the requirement of "explicit consent of the entire community."

The board led by its president formally informed the community at large on the project on Oct. 24, 2005, only after a 10-year lease contract with Globe Telecom was signed and tower construction was almost completed. On Nov. 3, 2005, the tower began operating.

Records of board meetings showed that as early as Oct. 7, 2003, Globe formally proposed to lease a portion of the park for its base station/cellular tower and asked to waive the subdivision prohibition against constructing any telecommunication pole on any subdivision lot. This matter and all subsequent board deliberations, including applications and negotiations with the Quezon City officials, Globe Telecom and subdivision developer Ortigas and Co. were relayed to the homeowners and the entire community only two years later.

After the belated disclosure, a group of residents began campaigning for removal of the tower from the park. A manifesto of opposition calling upon Peronilla to rescind the contract was circulated and more than 250 homeowners supported the opposition.

The homeowners cited several health studies on the ill-effects of mobile phone base stations on people living within 400-meters radius or more. Dr. Grahame Blackwell highlighted the studies involving Netherlands, Austria and Germany.

The homeowners also filed a petition before the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to stop the issuance of a radio permit for the operation of the cell tower.

Under the guidelines of Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the consent of adjoining neighbors is required if they are within the radius of the communications tower. Under its permit, Globe applied for a 48-meter cellular antenna, or just under 50 meters, claiming there are no residents within the radius. But within the antenna’s radius are a number of residences, the clubhouse, the swimming pool and a nursery school.

While Globe applied for a permit to construct a 48-meter high antenna tower with the Bureau of Health Devices and Technology of the Department of Health, it only constructed a 32-meter high tower. Thus Globe brought the tower closer to children studying at the nursery school or playing in the park or swimming in the pool and other residents frequenting the park. This fact was not evaluated by the BHDT, the homeowners said.