Quezon city: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Friday announced the extension of tower license terms up to 15 years as part of the government's efforts to cut red tape in building transmission towers. During the launch of the extension at the PhilTower site in Quezon City, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda emphasized that this initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s agenda to accelerate digital connectivity.
According to Philippines News Agency, the new license extension is aimed at accelerating the rollout of towers, reducing regulatory friction, and aligning the Philippines with global standards, where licenses last 10 to 30 years or even indefinitely, compared to the country's previous five-year validity period. The DICT partnered with the Information Tower Companies Association of the Philippines (ITCAP) for this initiative.
The extension supports the DICT's Common Tower Policy under Department Circular No. 008, Series of 2020, which allows multiple telecommunications companies to share tower sites instead of constructing their own. This policy is designed to expedite deployment, reduce costs, and expand coverage nationwide. 'This empowers tower companies to build faster and invest smarter, so communities, especially in far-flung areas, can get connected sooner,' Aguda stated.
Aguda was joined in the launch by PhilTower MIDC president and ITCAP representative Devid Gubiani along with other executives from Alliance Towers, American Tower, EdgePoint, EDOTCO, Frontier Tower Associates, Ison Tower, LDIC, PhilTower MIDC, and Unity Digital Infrastructure.
