The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) on Tuesday echoed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for telecommunications firms to improve its services particularly by broadening their network coverage in the province.

The SP during its regular session passed a resolution authored by Board Member Aldner Damalerio asking Smart Telecommunications and Dito Telecommunity to put up cellulartowers in key areas in the province.

Damalerio pinpointed the following villages as among those that need network coverage: Barangay Dangay, Albur; Canlaas, Antequera; Tanday, Baclayon; Hanopol, Balilihan; Baang, Catigbian; Canangcaan, Corella; Monserat, Cortes; Basdacu and Song-on in Loon; Candavid, Maribojoc; Cambuac Norte, Sikatuna and Poblacion, Tubigon.

In March, the SP also passed a resolution raising a similar request to Globe Telecom.

Damalerio’s second request came after Duterte in his State of the Nation Address on Monday threatened to shut down telecommunications giants Globe and Smart due to alleged lagging services.

He warned that they may face expropriation if they do not shape up by December.

“If you are not ready to improve, I might just as well close all of you and revert back to the line telephone. At kukunin ko ‘yan, i-expropriate ko sa gobyerno. ‘Yung Smart, pati ‘yung Globe, ilang taon na ito? At ang sagot palagi sa akin, ‘The party cannot be reached.’ Eh kung gano’n lang naman, ibigay ninyo sa amin,” Duterte said.

The issue on the telecommunications’ giants were among the highlights of Duterte’s SONA which has drawn flak from various sectors for lacking a clear and concrete roadmap in addressing the country’s most pressing concern, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Damalerio meanwhile acknowledged that telcos have been moving in the previous months to improve its facilities.

The legislator noted that since July, 2019 there have been cell tower additions in Bohol. T

Among those were two cell sites in Batuan, one in each in Bagumbayan, Pilar; Barangay San Isidro, Tagbilaran City; Biking and Bingag in Dauis and Doljo in Panglao.  

“Telco rollouts also included facilities that cater to residential, commercial, government and educational institutions in providing bundled landline or leaseline and internet services,” he said. (R. Tutas)