Faster issuance of permits by local government units (LGUs) will help telecommunications companies accelerate network expansion and improve internet connectivity in the Philippines according to Globe Telecom, Inc., one of the country's leading mobile and broadband operators.

Globe's remarks came in response to government reports that more than 12,000 approvals have been granted for telecommunications infrastructure projects nationwide. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the agency that oversees LGUs, said 12,241 permits and clearances were approved across 707 cities and municipalities as of September, benefiting from efforts to streamline local permit processes.

Permitting has long been a bottleneck for cell site construction in the Philippines, where operators must secure clearances at multiple levels of local government before building new towers and fiber infrastructure. Because towers and fiber lines can only be built once these approvals are in hand, the speed of local processing shapes how quickly new network capacity reaches communities. National authorities have in recent years pushed to standardize and shorten these procedures in support of broader digital connectivity across the archipelago.

According to Globe, reducing administrative delays will allow telecommunications providers to begin building cell sites sooner, particularly in underserved and remote communities.

“Faster permitting is important in bringing better connectivity to more Filipinos,” said Joel R. Agustin, Globe senior vice-president and head of network planning and engineering.

The company recorded P26.3 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of 2026, with 91% allocated to data-related initiatives. During the period, it deployed 878 new 5G sites and 80,052 fiber-to-the-home lines — build-outs that pass through the same local approval channels, linking the pace of capital spending to permitting conditions on the ground.

Globe said coverage for 5G technology reached 98% of the population in Metro Manila and key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Sustained network investment, supported by faster and more predictable permitting, can help move infrastructure from planning to deployment sooner,” Globe said. Updated permit tallies from the DILG and operators' subsequent deployment reports will indicate whether streamlined processing continues to translate into completed sites and connections. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Source: BusinessWorld