The Sun Cellular, the country’s third mobile phone provider is continuing to improve its services to their network users by putting up more cell sites in Leyte.
This was learned from Jun Sil Calomarde, VisMin site acquisition manager of Ericsson, the site contractor of Sun Cellular during an interview Friday. Calomarde was with site coordinators Jill Crisostomo, and Guillermo Recorre Jr., during their visit to city Mayor Eric Codilla’s office.
Calomarde told The Star that despite the company’s setback when residents living near their constructed tower in Barangay Ipil prevented them to continue their construction they are still conducting technical designs for three more areas in the city to build their towers.
He said that the operations of these three more cell sites would enhance the services of Sun Cellular in the city, which he describes as the most affordable mobile phone service provider in the country.
Codilla told the Ericsson people that the incident in Barangay Ipil should serve as an eye opener for the company not to ignore the plea of the people. Codilla has put the blame on the arrogance of the employees of Ericsson that constructed the tower in the barangay disrespecting and disregarding the complaints of the residents about the construction of their tower which had no proper permits and without public consultation.
Codilla said that he could no ask the residents in the area to support the construction of their tower because the arrogance of their own people has touched their prides. “Lisod na og musolod ang siyudad nga muhangyo adto nila tingali matandog na sab ila garbo,” Codilla told the visiting Ericsson people.
The mayor suggested they to look for another place in the area, which is isolated from residents so they could transfer their tower. But he advised them to first conduct a public consultation so that these people will understand its presence and not just show force by constructing the tower without consulting the residents.
He added that he is a pro-development mayor but will prefer to forget development once the interest of his constituents is ignored.
Calomarde told The Star that the construction cost them more than P2 million in loses not to mention the supposed turnout of their 3G operation if it turns operational. But he said they are now contemplating following the suggestion of the mayor to transfer to another location to improve Sun Cellular’s service in the city. – Roberto Dejon