An appeal by the recently created Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to Congress to pass legislation that would allow telecommunications companies to build cell sites in subdivisions gains significance here in Metro Cebu in light of what happened in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
Two years ago, the Cebu City Council revoked the special permits obtained by Globe and Sun Cellular to operate a cell site in Sitio Calvary, Barangay Apas, in the city due to concerns by residents there that the towers emit radiation that caused them to contract cancer.
While Globe and Sun Cellular each issued denials on the allegations by claiming that no scientific study had been conducted that proved cell signals caused cancer, the City Council sided with the residents and ordered the revocation of permits.
Calvary Hills isn’t a subdivision, and the residents there aren’t well-off, moneyed families but everyday workers who strive to earn a minimum-wage living. One of the residents, Cristina Baldomar, blamed the cell site towers for her breast cancer.
Fast forward two years later and the Duterte administration has been steamrolling its program to expand internet and WiFi access to the public by improving cell site signals.
They started with traffic-prone areas in Manila where commuters can make the long wait bearable by connecting to routers set up in these areas in order to surf the web or do important online work.
It would only be a matter of time before the government expands its WiFi connectivity program to the provinces starting with Metro Cebu and Davao. Thus, it won’t be a surprise if the national government through the DICT calls on subdivision homeowners in Metro Cebu to allow telecom companies to build cell site towers in their areas.
Yet if the council resolution is anything to go by, the DICT will have a fight in their hands when subdivision homeowners register their opposition to their plan. As it is, there is a previous program to expand WiFi connectivity in public places like the Plaza Independencia, but nothing positive had been reported so far.
While a lot of businesses have long expressed the desire for Metro Cebu local governments to rebuild their infrastructure to include better communications like WiFi connectivity, there may be some resistance from local officials who fear voter reprisal from subdivision homeowners.
As if subdivision homeowners don’t have enough problems with plans to allow entry of private motorists and public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers into their areas.
If ever the DICT plan pushes through in Metro Cebu, homeowners should at least be consulted beforehand. The DICT should also consider other areas where they can build their cell site towers in order not to disrupt both people and nature.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
