Globe Telecom Inc. yesterday asked the government to implement policy changes that would bring about more investments in the country’s digital infrastructure.
“We know that economic recovery is foremost in the minds of government and private sector alike, and this can be fast-tracked through connectivity and the widespread availability of first-world internet services,” said Ernest Cu, Globe president and chief executive officer.
Among policy impediments to pursue digitalization is the lack of legislation that would require property developers to allocate space for telco and other information and communications technology infrastructure in their developments.
House and Senate bills pushing for this failed to pass in the last Congress, but the measure is expected to be resurrected with the start of the new session.
The proposal aims to address challenges that telcos confront in deploying cellular and broadband fiber connectivity facilities in residential areas.
Globe is also pushing for the revision of the implementing rules and regulations of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act to lower the threshold on energy use so businesses may avail of options in energy sources, among them renewables.
This will allow businesses, from large corporations to micro, small and medium enterprises, to use renewable energy for smaller infrastructure, including those consuming between 10 and 99 kilowatt per hour, Globe said.
Amid a fresh push for the subscriber identity module (SIM) card registration law, meanwhile, Globe is hoping for the speedy rollout of the National ID system to ensure SIM registration is backed by expansive availability of legitimate IDs to enable proper counter checks.
Cu reiterated Globe’s support for the new administration’s digitalization goals, saying this would ultimately streamline and improve public service.
“We continue to enhance our digital solutions platform in support of the new administration’s digitalization goals. The Globe Group offers an incomparable suite of services in the digital space, from fintech and healthtech to edutech, adtech and many more, which address Filipinos’ digitalization needs,” said Cu.
Globe also said it hopes the government’s recent rationalization of its permitting process for cell site construction is just one of many substantive reforms crucial to businesses.
The simplified permitting procedure has enabled the company to fast-track its network buildup in response to greater connectivity demand during the pandemic.
