City councilor Augustinus “Dodong” Gonzaga remains hopeful that there is a just resolution to the deadlock caused by the issue of the construction of several cell towers by telecoms player DITO Telecommunications.
He expressed his opinion on the matter during a radio interview on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, over dyTR’s Newsmakers ug Uban Pa program hosted by Ardy Batoy and Gloria Araneta.
He hopes that the people would be properly informed on the impact of the cell towers and finally break the deadlock to pave the for the resolution of the issue.
Gonzaga thinks that the communities which oppose the construction just want to be assured that the cell towers pose no health threats.
The impasse surfaced after three (3) neighborhoods in Tagbilaran City reportedly oppose the construction of cell towers in their area. The communities that oppose the construction of the cell towers are Taloto, Booy, and Poblacion 3.
Residents of the said areas raised concerns regarding the health impact of the radiation being emitted by the cell towers and the structural integrity of the said towers, Gonzaga said.
Despite the communities’ opposition, mandate from different government agencies allow the unimpeded construction of DITO Telecommunication’s cell towers. As a result, the construction of the said cell towers cannot be halted by local government officials, even if the local residents are in opposition.
However, even if permission coming from the local communities is not needed for the construction of cell towers to continue, there is still a need for the telecommunication company to get documents from the local government unit (LGU).
With the situation, a deadlock is created where the city government is powerless to stop the construction and can only penalize the telco for its inability to secure the needed documents, as the communities continue to air their health concerns regarding the cell towers.
Gonzaga was informed by the City Engineering Office that DITO Telecommunications has not been granted with the necessary documents. Even without the necessary documents, the telco has started construction of the said cell towers.
Moving forward, the city councilors will continue to determine whether or not the residents’ fears or concerns have bases.