City officials adopted the recommendations of the Local Finance Committee on the request of Globe Telecom, Inc. for the possible waiver of 2 percent penalty based on the actual and projected annual gross income in relation to the permit application for the installation of cell sites in the city.
Under Resolution No. 576, series of 2021, the Committee on Appropriations and Finance Cluster B in its 22nd endorsement dated November 19, 2021 recommended the adoption of the recommendations of the Local Finance Committee as contained in its 1st endorsement dated November 10, 2021 relative to the said proposal of the telecommunications company.
Earlier, the council was in receipt of a letter dated August 11, 2021 of Regional Acquisition Head Maria Bernadette R. Bernardo, Site Acquisition and Management, Globe Telecom, Inc. requesting the waiver of the 2 percent penalty based on the actual and projected annual gross income in relation to the permit application of the company for installation of cell sites in the different parts of the city.
Further, the council also considered a letter dated September 29, 2021 of Atty. Solgrandioso A. David, Jr., Head, Government Regulatory Compliance Advocacy Division, Corporate and Legal Group, Globe Telecom, Inc., submitting the company’s position paper in support to their request to reconsider the payment of 2 percent penalty based on actual and projected annual gross income per the installation.
On the other hand, the Local finance Committee in its 1st endorsement stated that after a careful study of attendant rules and law on the matter, business permit will not be required for cell sites; Globe Telecom will however, pay regulatory fees such as garbage, sewer and inspection fees among others for each cell site to be included in their operations center permit; the company shall submit an inventory of all their cell sites, to include the start of their operations and income tax return for the past 3 years, for assessment of regulatory fees and all other taxes shall be settled accordingly.
The Local Finance Committee informed the local legislative body that the aforesaid matters were agreed upon during a meeting called for the purpose presided by the City Treasurer himself.
The decision of the local legislative body on the aforesaid matter will pave the way for the telecommunications company to be able to work out the immediate installation of a good number of cell sites in strategic areas around the city to improve the signal in various areas that will help in speeding the delivery of services to the greater majority of populace by both the government and the private sectors.
For the past several years, various telecommunication companies have been aggressively working for the expansion of their services by increasing the number of their available and operational cell sites to help in improving their respective signals around the city to help in enticing more prospective investors to establish their businesses in identified potential investment areas that will contribute in efforts to spur economic growth that will improve the quality of life in an urban center like Baguio City. By Dexter A. See
