Power retailer Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) reported significant improvements in the deployment of power particularly for telecommunication infrastructure as advocated by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).
Meralco, in the third series of Telco Workshop for Telco Towers’ Energization, reported a significant reduction in telco infrastructure energization timeline from 300 and 255 days to just 59 days from the start of application.
“The acquisition of public rights of way [PROW] has been streamlined from 180 days to a mere 15 days average, with the elimination of adjacent lot owner [ALO] refusal, resulting in energization occurring within 10 to 15 days, provided all requirements are fulfilled by the telco or ITC applicant,” Meralco enterprise commercial and conglomerates head Bernice Gretchel Garcia-Rama said.
The year 2023 also marked the highest number of energized projects by Meralco with 734 towers powered up. There has been a continued improvement on these numbers, making Meralco more optimistic to serve the needs of the telecommunication industry, it said.
ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez highlighted the significance of collaborations in the advancement of interconnectivity in the country.
“With the collaboration of these key stakeholders, we are poised to overcome barriers hindering the rapid deployment of telecommunication infrastructure across the nation,” Perez said.
He said the country was inching closer to the goal of the government and local government units (LGUS) to cover the whole country with stronger internet connectivity, with no community to be left behind.
Meralco is the first electric company to host ARTA’s series of telco workshops. The previous ones were in partnership with Globe Telecom and Smart Communications, Inc., which focused on improving the regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector.
Meralco assistant vice president Robert Galang reiterated their commitment towards digitalization through energization.
“Together, let us continue this journey, knowing that our efforts today will bring a brighter future tomorrow,” he said.
Concerned stakeholders reinforce their collaboration with Executive Order No. 32 s. 2023 (EO 32), otherwise known as “Streamlining the Permitting Process for the Construction of Telecommunications and Internet Infrastructure” and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR).