We may soon start seeing cell sites and support infrastructures in residential areas and even villages, all because of the recently approved House Bill 10388.

The House of Representatives has approved, on its third and final reading, House Bill 10388 which allows telecommunications providers and other information communications and technology (ICT) companies to purchase or lease lands in private residential villages. In addition, it mandates existing and future housing projects to set aside part of their land for ICT facilities.

For the longest time, telecommunications providers are unable to construct in private villages and other residential areas. This is because most communities are opposed to the idea of construction of cell sites in these areas as they are afraid that the radiation being emitted from cell tower antennas would cause health problems.

To address the said concern, PLDT and Smart are embarking on an information education campaign to ease the health concerns of homeowners all across the nation, according to  PLDT Inc. president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio.

He further added that “This welcome development will help ease the roadblocks that telecommunications companies experience in their rollout especially in subdivisions as many homeowners’ associations and communities still prohibit the construction of cell sites and other telecommunications infrastructure due to perceived health risks [and] aesthetic reasons.”