POE TO GOV'T, LGUs, TELCOS: NO EXCUSE FOR FAILURE TO CONSTRUCT CELL SITES

Sen. Grace Poe expects the telecommunications companies to fast-track the construction of cell sites across the country with the whole-of-government backing and streamlining of permitting processes (Inaasahan ni Sen. Grace Poe na aarangkada na ang pagtatayo ng telecommunications companies ng mga cell site sa iba't ibang bahagi ng bansa sa gitna ng suporta ng buong gobyerno at pinabilis na proseso sa pagkuha nila ng mga permit).

"Umaasa ang ating mga kababayan ng malakas at tuluy-tuloy na signal at internet sa gitna ng pandemya," the Senate public services committee chair said (diin ng tagapangulo ng Senate public services committee).

"The lengthy permit application and uncooperative stakeholders will be a thing of the past. The government has laid the groundwork for fostering system innovation, and we hope telcos will take advantage of this to make significant strides in giving the public quality mobile and internet experience (Tapos na ang panahon ng mahabang aplikasyon para sa mga permit at ng kawalan ng pakikipagtulungan. Inilatag na ng gobyerno ang basehan para sa system innovation at inaasahan nating sasamantalahin ito ng mga telco para makapagbigay ng kalidad na signal at internet)," Poe said.

At the same time, Poe reminded national and local government units (LGUs) to strictly follow the processing time for approval of applications for licenses and permits under the Ease of Doing Business Act (Ipinaalala rin ng senadora sa kinauukulan na mahigpit na sundin ang processing time para aprubahan ang aplikasyon sa mga lisensiya at permit sa ilalim ng Ease of Doing Business Act).

Under the law, the heads of government agencies are primarily responsible for its implementation and shall be held accountable to the public in rendering fast, efficient, convenient and reliable service. Failure to strictly comply with the law may render them liable criminally and administratively, Poe said (Alinsunod sa naturang panukala, pangunahing responsable sa pagpapatupad at implementasyon nito ang bawat hepe ng ahensiya na mananagot sa publiko kapag nabigong makapaghatid ng mabilis, episyente, madali at maasahang serbisyo. Kapag nabigong tuparin ang batas, maaari silang sampahan ng kasong kriminal at administratibo, paliwanag ni Poe).

In the case of LGUs, the Department of the Interior and Local Government may, on its own initiative (motu proprio) or upon complaint, commence investigation and if warranted by the evidence, file a case with the Ombudsman. The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) created under the Ease of Doing Business Act may also do the same (Inaatasan ng batas ang Department of Interior and Local Government sa sariling inisyatiba nito o kapag may reklamo, na isagawa kaagad ang imbestigasyon sa kaso ng mga LGU at kung may sapat na ebidensiya, magsampa ng kaso sa Ombudsman. Maaaring gawin din ito ng nilikhang Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) sa ilalim ng Ease of Doing Business Act).

Sec. 22 of the Ease of Doing Business Act provides that officials found to have violated the law will be charged administratively with a corresponding six-month suspension for their first offense (Nakatakda sa Sec. 22 ng Ease of Doing Business Act na kapag napatunayang lumabag ang opisyal sa batas, kakasuhan siya kaagad nang administratibo na may kaakibat na anim na buwang suspensiyon sa unang opensa).

On the second offense, persons found guilty will be administratively and criminally liable, which includes dismissal from the service, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and forfeiture of retirement benefits and imprisonment of one year to six years with a fine of up to P2 million. Officials who commit the crime through collusion with fixers, even on their first offense, will also be penalized in the same manner (Sa ikalawalang opensa, ang taong mapatutunayang nagkasala ay may pananagutang administratibo at kriminal, at parurusahan ng pagpapatalsik sa serbisyo, habambuhay na diskuwalipikasyon sa paghawak ng anumang pampublikong posisyon at kompiskasyon ng mga retirement benefit, pati na pagkakakulong ng isang taon hanggang anim na taon at multang P2 milyon. Ang sinumang opisyal na nakipagsabwatan sa fixer, kahit sa unang paglabag lamang, ay mahaharap sa ganito ring parusa).

Criminal liability will be incurred by officers who commit the offense through bribery and extortion and will also be held liable under the Revised Penal Code and other applicable laws (Ang mga lalabag rito sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng lagay o padulas at pangingikil ay mananagot nang kriminal bukod pa sa ibang kaso sa ilalim ng Revised Penal Code at iba pang aplikableng batas).

Sec. 23 of the said law further provides that the finding of administrative liability is not a bar to the filing of criminal, civil or other related charges under existing laws (Nakatakda naman sa Sec. 23 na hindi hadlang ang pananagutang administratibo sa pagsasampa ng kasong kriminal, sibil at iba pa sa ilalim ng mga umiiral na batas).

Poe reiterated the urgent need to build more cellular towers to meet increasing network traffic as public and private operations and transactions have shifted online amid the pandemic (Iginiit ni Poe ang kahalagahan ng pagtatayo ng mas maraming cellular tower upang matugunan ang network traffic habang nadaragdagan ang pampubliko at pribadong transaksiyon at operasyon online sa gitna ng pandemya).

With the advent of online learning this coming academic year due to the health crisis, Poe stressed that efficient connectivity is a must for the millions of students and educators (Sa ilalim ng blended learning sa nalalapit na pasukan, mahalaga ang episyenteng konektibidad para sa milyun-milyong estudyante at mga guro).

The internet has also been crucial to the country's healthcare system in containing the disease, and to businesses that have kept their operations via online transactions (Krusyal ang internet sa healthcare system ng bansa upang masugpo ang sakit, gayundin para mapanatili ang operasyon ng ilang negosyo sa pamamagitan ng online transaction).

Earlier, ARTA said that the applications of telcos backed by proper and complete documents and duly paid fees for the construction of cell towers are deemed automatically approved if they have been left pending for more than a week in compliance with the Ease of Doing Business law (Nauna nang inihayag ng ARTA na kapag ang aplikasyon ay may kalakip na tama at kumpletong dokumento, at nakabayad ng kaukulang bayarin sa pagpapatayo ng mga cell tower, awtomatikong aprubado ito kung nakabinbin sa loob ng isang linggo alinsunod sa itinakda ng Ease of Doing Business law).

"We look forward to the day when the government and the private sector can work hand in hand to guarantee swift and dependable public service-beyond self-interest and profit-to uplift the lives of our people (Umaasa tayo na darating ang araw na magkakaisa ang gobyerno at pribadong sektor na kumilos nang magkaagapay upang makapaghatid ng mabilis at maaasahang pampublikong serbisyo-na isinasantabi ang pansariling interes at tubo-upang maiangat ang pamumuhay ng ating mga kababayan)," Poe said.