Councilor: Revocation of permits due to lack of consultation
The revocation of the special permits for two cell site towers in barangay Apas is an isolated case, Councilor Noel Wenceslao said.
He clarified that the council revoked the permits due to lack of public consultation, not because of the alleged health hazards posed by the facilities.
“One of the requirements before the council can approve a special permit is public consultation. The barangay council made a resolution that there was actually no consultation and it was supported by the residents who even filed a petition.
That’s why we in the city council had to act,” he said.
Wenceslao authored the resolution revoking the permits issued to Globe Telecom, Inc. in 2000 and to Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc., commercially known as Sun Cellular, in 2004.
The city council resolution, which was passed on Wednesday, also ordered the telecommunications companies to remove the towers from sitio Calvary Hills within two months.
Revocation of the permits is feared to set a precedent and put cell site towers in residential areas at risk.
The petitioners from sitio Calvary Hills claimed that the radiation emitted by the towers in their community has caused cancer among residents.
Residents of barangay Buhisan have also blamed cell site towers in their community for cancer-related deaths.
Mayor Michael Rama still needs to approve the resolution.
The mayor, however, ordered city legal officer Jerone Castillo yesterday to review the ordinance governing the issuance of special permits to telecommunication companies.
“Revocation of permit and who issues a special permit, it’s not a legislative function. That’s an old function and maybe it hasn’t been looked into. Permits are regulatory. Is regulation part of the legislative?” Rama told reporters yesterday.
Under City Ordinance No. 1656, or the Revised Zoning Ordinance, the city council grants special permits to telcos upon recommendation of the zoning board.
Calvary Hills residents said that more than 20 people have died since the towers were constructed in their community.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo said six families in Buhisan have also complained about cancer-related deaths, including the husband of a city hall employee. Two cell site towers have been erected near the barangay hall.
“I don’t know the name of the towers but some people have also complained. They should also be like the Apas residents who have identified and organized themselves. They should also make a formal petition,” Carillo said.
Calvary Hills residents used a study conducted by Cebu Normal University (CNU) students completing their master’s degree to support their petition.
The study, entitled “A Survey on the Perceptions of Potential Adverse Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) Exposure from Cellular Phone Towers in Residential Areas on Human Health and Wellness,” covered barangays Apas,
Guadalupe, Kalunasan, Lahug and Talamban.
The study identified a total of 70 cell site towers in the five barangays.
In barangay Apas, there are 15 Globe and 10 Sun towers. In Guadalupe, there are seven Sun towers. There are also seven Sun towers in Kalunasan.
In Lahug, there are 10 Globe mini towers, 10 Smart mini towers and 10 Sun mini towers while there’s only one Globe tower in barangay Talamban.
The study found that around 67 percent of the 125 respondents strongly recommended the removal of the towers.
They claimed to have anxiety and blamed EMR exposure for aggravating their health problems. The respondents live within a 600-meter radius from a cell site tower.
“Almost 50 percent of the total respondents diagnosed with debilitating conditions as cancer, heart disease, stroke live within the 600-meter radius. Different types of cancer (being) common among those who live within the 50-300 meter high radiation zone. And the same debilitating conditions caused the death of almost 20 percent of household members,” the study said.
It was submitted to Prof. Porponio Lapa, Jr., reportedly a resident of Calvary Hills.
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