The Philippine government has reduced telecommunications tower permit processing time from 241 days to 16 days, Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto Perez announced Tuesday, July 21, at the launch of the Independent Tower Companies Association of the Philippines (ITCAP). The reduction stems from reforms under a 2020 Joint Memorandum Circular, 2023 Executive Order No. 32, and the 2025 Konektadong Pinoy Act that streamlined permit requirements and eliminated redundant clearances. Telecommunications companies have long cited red tape as a barrier to tower rollout since 2015, prompting the creation of ARTA in 2018 under the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act to address permitting bottlenecks.
Government Streamlines Tower Permit Requirements
The reforms reduced required documents from 86 to 35 and permits from 13 to 8, according to Perez. Executive Order No. 32 in 2023 required cities to establish one-stop shops for tower construction permits and made approval processes subject to violations under local government unit charters. DILG Undersecretary John Paulo Salvahan stated the Konektadong Pinoy Act of 2025 enshrined tower sharing principles and coordinated construction strategies between private and public sectors into law.
Approved tower applications rose from 6,117 in 2022 to 10,465 in 2025. The Philippines had 16,300 towers in March 2017, a figure that has risen to 37,457, according to Maida Bruce, chief finance and risk officer of tower company Philtower and ITCAP member. Bruce noted the Philippines still lags behind Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia in number of towers and people served per tower. The Philippines' average mobile speed at 34 Mbps exceeds Indonesia's 29 Mbps.
Tower Companies Invest ₱200 Billion Amid Expansion Challenges
Independent tower companies have invested around ₱200 billion, with another ₱30 billion in tower investments expected over the next two to three years, said ITCAP spokesperson Calvin Parpan. Analiza Bonagua, head of the DILG's Bureau of Local Government Development, said some communities continue to oppose new cell towers because of concerns over health effects. "LGUs must conduct awareness drives, help us communicate, and remove their fears," Bonagua said, adding that local governments should help explain the benefits of telecommunications infrastructure in underserved communities.
Nine Companies Form ITCAP Coalition
ITCAP comprises nine tower companies formed to strengthen collaboration between industry, government, and local governments as the country expands digital infrastructure. "This is why we initiated this coalition — to proactively support collaboration with LGUs," Parpan said. "It's a good opportunity to give a lot of information to our stakeholders on the importance of infrastructure moving forward."
FAQ
What did the Philippine government do to reduce tower permit processing time?
The government implemented reforms under a 2020 Joint Memorandum Circular, 2023 Executive Order No. 32, and the 2025 Konektadong Pinoy Act that reduced required documents from 86 to 35, permits from 13 to 8, and processing time from 241 days to 16 days.
How many telecommunications towers does the Philippines have?
The Philippines had 16,300 towers in March 2017 and now has 37,457 towers, according to Philtower CFO Maida Bruce at the ITCAP launch.
Why do some communities oppose new cell towers in the Philippines?
Some communities oppose new cell towers because of concerns over health effects, according to DILG Bureau of Local Government Development head Analiza Bonagua, who stated local governments need to conduct awareness drives to address these fears.
