PLDT Group Strengthens Support for ARTA Streamlining Initiatives

PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless unit, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the government's digitization initiatives. They aim to simplify and reform government processes, reduce the digital divide, and implement policies that are consistent with the government's vision of a 'Bagong Pilipinas'.

Among the initiatives supported by the PLDT Group is the Anti-Red Tape Authority's (ARTA) Electronic Business One-Stop Shops (eBOSS) program, which aims to automate the processing of business permits, related clearances, and licenses in all cities and municipalities across the country, and for which PLDT and Smart are providing an initial 100 computer units in order to assist the program's nationwide rollout.

PLDT and Smart have continuously supported Executive Order No. 32 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued EO 32 last year, which streamlined the permitting process for the construction, installation, repair, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications and Internet infrastructure in the country, accelerating the PLDT Group's nationwide network infrastructure deployment.
 
"Our unwavering support for government efforts to improve public service delivery—by eliminating red tape, fostering private-public collaboration, and advancing digitalization—reflects PLDT Group's mission to uplift Filipino lives through technology," said Atty Pamela B. Felizarta, VP and Department Head for Joint Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs at Smart.

According to ARTA, EO 32 decreased the time required to energize a telecom tower to 59 days and resulted in a 48% increase in the number of permits authorized by local governments between May 2022 and May 2024.
 
House Bill No. 10699, or the "Sana All May Internet Act," which aims to provide cheaper and more accessible internet by eliminating the spectrum user fee (SUF) on Wi-Fi, is one piece of legislation that Smart supports. This legislation will facilitate the widespread rollout of telco infrastructure nationwide and, eventually, lower the cost of telco services.

Since 2019, PLDT and Smart have been working closely with government agencies such as ARTA, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission, Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, local government units, and other industry stakeholders and telcos to streamline the process of securing permits for the construction and deployment of telco infrastructure, among others.

PLDT and Smart have also expressed their support for the President's directive to improve internet access in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), as part of the government's "Broadband ng Masa" program and in collaboration with the Private Sector Advisory Council's Digital Infrastructure sector (PSAC DI) and telco providers. The PLDT Group's commitment to enhancing digital access complements its long-standing advocacy for education and equitable economic growth by making critical digital services more accessible to low-income areas.

These initiatives are part of PLDT and Smart's long-standing partnership with the government to bring the benefits of the internet to more Filipinos across the country and contribute to the country's achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9—Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.