Cebu City wants more cell sites, but…

CEBU, Philippines — While acknowledging the importance of building more cell sites, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia expressed the need to consider the concerns of residents about the health effects.

Last week, Garcia urged the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to review its memorandum streamlining the approval process for cell site towers issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Garcia shared with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla during his first official visit to Cebu last Wednesday that the city’s zoning board had received complaints regarding the construction of cell towers in various barangays.

In his press conference on Monday, Garcia reiterated that permit applications for the construction of telecom towers or cell sites had reached the zoning board. He said residents living near the proposed sites often approached them to express concerns about the lack of consultation at the barangay level.

Garcia further stated that the memorandum from the DILG and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to streamline the applications included the barangay clearance as one of the requirements.

“That’s the reason why nga di na ma-hearing didto sa barangay and modirekta na hinuon namo,” Garcia said.

He admitted being aware of this memorandum, as he had once been part of the zoning board when it was released during the pandemic. He added that, up until now, the memorandum is still in effect.

In line with this, Garcia mentioned that he brought up the issue with Remulla, who responded that the policy is still being implemented. According to Garcia, Remulla explained that Vietnam has 35,000 cell towers for a population of 70 million, while the Philippines has only 14,000 towers for over 100 million people.

Remulla further emphasized that the policy was necessary to fast-track development and improve connectivity, as barangay ordinances were seen as a major hindrance to telecommunication companies' expansion.

Garcia acknowledged the need for more cell sites, especially in this age when connectivity is a top priority, particularly for students and those who need it for work. He added that the city is working on improving connectivity, especially in public spaces. However, he also emphasized that the concerns of residents who fear the health effects of cell towers must be considered.

“Kay di ba mao na ilang (fear), kuyaw kaayo ng cell sites kay ma-cancer mi, di ba mao na ilang (fear),” he said.

“So we do not discount that possibility nga daghan sad kaayong moduol tungod kay concern sila sa ilang health, and andam g’yud mi’ng moduol nila,” he added.

In July 2024, it was reported that the residents of Saint Jude Acres in Bulacao, Cebu City, appeared before the Cebu City Council to seek help in opposing the construction of a 5G tower in their area due to fears of health risks. During an executive session, grievances from the residents were heard.

The first to speak before the council was Jesie Pastrana, an elderly resident who has lived in the area for 30 years. He expressed his fears about the installation of the tower.

“Unsa may mahitabo namo kung pananglitan dunay mga epekto sa among pagpuyo dira, labi na katong mga bata, mga apo namo, sa among nakita ug nabasa, ug nahibaw-an, nga dunay epekto ang tower sa amoa. Naa mi diri sa among barangay aron i-oppose ang pagtaod sa tower,” he said during the session.

In addition to the residents, Bulacao Barangay Captain Junah Abellanosa also shared that two days after her assumption of office, a certain Nancy Yu approached her office to acquire a barangay clearance on December 1, 2023.

She admitted that her only orientation at the time was her mandate to issue clearances as long as the applicant presented a complete set of documents, as was the case with Yu. She further admitted that she was not familiar with ISON Tower, the company behind the tower construction, and therefore issued the barangay clearance.

However, Abellanosa said she was reminded of the issuance when the majority of the constituents approached her office seeking help to oppose the construction. She negotiated to conduct a public hearing, which was attended by representatives from ISON Tower. She added that one of the primary concerns of the residents was the health risks they feared the tower could cause. (CEBU NEWS)