Councilor Al Victor Espino is proposing that the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod conduct a public hearing on the opposition of Purok Himaya, Barangay Alijis residents to the construction of a DITO Telecommunity Corp. (DTC) cell site in their community.
Espino, chairman of the SP Committee on Information, Communication and Technology, said today, February 23, that he held a purok consultation in Purok Himaya on Monday and residents aired their concern about perceived radiation from the DTC cell site and the structural integrity of its tower.
The councilor said while there is a joint memorandum circular from national government agencies that prevents barangay, towns and city councils from conducting public consultations on the construction of cell sites, the city has a local ordinance that the SP may conduct an inquiry into complaints of residents.
So he will recommend to the SP at its regular session tomorrow, February 24, that they conduct a public hearing on the concerns of the Himaya residents.
Homeowners are also opposing the construction of a cell site at St. Therese Avenue in Doña Juliana Heights, Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City.
Espino said the complaint of the subdivision homeowners has not reached his office yet.
DTC, the third telecommunications company in the Philippines, is a consortium headed by Davao businessman Dennis Uy.
Nestor Velez, acting head of the Office of Building Official, said he issued notices to DTC to stop construction of its cell sites in Purok Himaya and Doña Julian Heights for lack of building permits.
A second notice was also issued to DTC for non-compliance with the work stoppage order at Doña Juliana Heights, he said.
A similar notice will also be issued for the DTC cell site in Purok Himaya today, he said.
Velez said he was informed that DTC is building more than 60 cell sites in Bacolod City, but so far his office has only granted building permits for 27.
The OBO has also issued notices to stop the construction of two Globe cell sites in Bacolod City for lack of building permits, Velez said.*