PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are intensifying their collaboration with government agencies and private sector partners to accelerate the expansion of the country’s digital infrastructure.
PLDT has partnered with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), National Electrification Administration (NEA), with a number of tower companies and other industry stakeholders. PLDT and Smart recently hosted a joint forum in the PLDT office in Mandaluyong City. It focused on Executive Order No. 32 (EO 32) and related regulatory measures for the construction and improvement of telecommunications networks in the country.
The joint forum supported leaders from both public and private sectors, strengthening their common commitment to a streamlined permitting process with the objective of tearing down barriers to infrastructure rollout.
Present in the said forum are ARTA Director General Ernesto V. Perez and PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Head of Network Menardo G. Jimenez, who underscored the need to fully access existing regulatory frameworks so that all Filipinos have access to strong, stable, and secure connectivity.
“It is one of the enablers for all forms of development,” said Jimenez. “And if we are to work together within that framework, an efficient framework, then the time to deliver world-class digital infrastructure for every single community will be drastically shortened.”
Signed in 2023 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., EO 32 provides a context to reduce and facilitate the permitting of building, repairing, and maintaining telecommunications facilities—a move that already served to reduce bottlenecks in regulations throughout the industry.
Atty. Pamela B. Felizarta, Vice President and Department Head for Joint Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs at Smart, stated that “the continued cooperation by PLDT Group with ARTA and other agencies is essential to creating an enabling environment.”
Felizarta said, “Our partnership with government stakeholders has allowed us to align our goals and streamline processes, ensuring that digital services reach more Filipinos faster.”
Strengthened partnerships are emphasized by PLDT and Smart in continuing their commitment to bridging the digital divide—empowering Filipinos to thrive in this ever-connected world. -ARL
