The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Tagbilaran City has recommended for the country’s new third telco player DITO Telecommunity Corp. to pay its dues to the city government “immediately” or face stoppage of its cellular tower project, a councilor said Monday.

Councilor Nerio Zamora, chairman of the City Council’s committee on information technology, said DITO needs to pay for the assessed fees for their building permit and the penalties it incurred for starting construction of its cellular tower even without the said permit.

“Nahibaw-an sa taga OBO (Office of the Building Officia) na gastart na sila og construction even without a building permit na issue nila. Under the National Building Code authorized ang local government units to impose penalties,” he said.

Dito meanwhile has complied with all the documentary requirements based on information submitted by the OBO to the SP.

“Kuwang nalang ang bayad,” Zamora added.

According to the city legislator, the OBO will be issuing a stoppage order on Dito’s cell site project if it fails to pay its dues.

Construction or operations may resume once payment is completed.

The SP, in its recommendation, acknowledged that Mobile Network Operators and Independent Tower Companies have been allowed by the national government to streamline its establishment of cellular towers through various measures including the removal of the SP’s resolution as among requirements to start construction.

“All local government units are hereby enjoined to observe the provisions of the Joint Memorandum Circular above-mentioned, failure of which will merit penalties and liabilities as indicated in Section 9 of the JMC on Shared PTTIs and other applicable laws, rules and regulations,” the SP quoted a segment of Joint Memorandum Circular No, O1-S 2020 of the ARTA, DICT, DILG, DHSUD, DPWH, DOH and FDA.

However, the City Council pointed out that Section 3 of the circular mandates the strict compliance of Section 301 of the National Building Code on securing building permits before construction starts.

The SP has also recommended for DITO to conduct meetings, lectures, or dialogues with communities directly affected by the cell site construction as part of their corporate social responsibility.

“Mandated man sila or part sa ilang CSR na mo introduce sila og project or development anang area kinahanglan mo conduct sila og social preparation, e-inform nila ang constituents na directly affected para pud ang mga taw makapangutana sila og naa silay concerns,” he said.

Earlier, three neighborhood associations from Taloto, Booy and Poblacion III are within the proximity of the under-construction tower opposed the establishment of the cell site near their homes due to health concerns.

Dr. Portia Reyes of the Department of Health Bohol however told the SP that the towers would have no adverse effects on residents’ health. (Allen Doydora)