Despite improvements in permit licensing certificates and processes for the construction of telecommunications and internet infrastructure in telecommunication, there are still gaps and difficulties that hobble the sector.
At the Telco Summit yesterday, Secretary Ernesto Perez of the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) identified these as gaps as: excessive fees, anti-competitive policies and non-enforcement of joint memorandum circulars (JMCs) issued to speed up issuance of licenses and certificates.
Perez said the imposition of excessive fees and charges sometimes called SOPs – standard operating procedures – by some local government units (LGUs) and home owners associations “has got to stop.”
He said some homeowners associations require exorbitant fees through business clearance fees or profit sharing agreements.
“If the telco is unable to pay, homeowners associations will refuse admission for installation repairs and maintenance work within the subdivision… we will address these issues,” Perez said.
Perez said the second challenge is the anti- competitive practices where some LGUs
and condominium associations favor specific internet service providers, in violation of competition laws.
The third gap, Perez said, is the inconsistent or lack of implementation of the JMCs.
He said some parties do not adhere to the provisions of these JMCs or impose additional requirements and procedures that are inconsistent with these issuances.
