24 August 2005
OPINION: Aquiling battles telecom towers
THE PEN SPEAKS
By Danny O. Sagun
CAN the sangguniang panlungsod stand up to giant Globe Telecom vis-à-vis the latter’s antenna being erected somewhere in Caranglaan without the former’s favorable endorsement or approval?
We saw how former city alderman Aquiling Bolinas made his passionate plea before the sanggunian in last Monday’s regular session saying he was directly affected by the presence of that tower being erected at a building just across his house. He said only about 12 persons signed a document that purportedly showed the neighbors’ acceptance of that telecom project when, he stressed, there were hundreds if not thousands of residents needed to be consulted for it. Why, of all available areas like the fields located far from the residential areas, that building in front of his house was selected, he wondered.
He also bared that the barangay was not fully consulted about it with the absence of any public hearing as admitted by the barangay captain.
A representative of the city engineering office told the council that Globe had already complied with requirements except the imprimatur from the sanggunian. Without that authority, the city engineer would not issue the so-called occupancy permit, a prerequisite by the Dagupan Electric Corp. But why the city engineer issued the corresponding building permit even without the sanggunian approval was in itself a big question.
As Aquiling was making his appeal, we noted that some councilors were not in their seats and only about two or three took time listening to his impassioned speech. We observed later that the others locked themselves in a small cubicle beside the table for the presiding officer. One by one they came out of that room. We wondered why Vice-Mayor Alvin or any of the aldermen did not question the quorum.
Will the legislators, some of whom like Chito Samson once rubbed elbows with Aquiling who sat in that very sanggunian some years back, now listen to him?
As a refresher, most of the telecom towers we see around if not all were just suddenly built, to everyone’s surprise before the proponents took time to secure approval from City Hall. And those fearsome structures (what if they fall during big typhoons or earthquakes?) remained there notwithstanding protests from various sectors. Residents of Arellano Bani roundly rejected the Globe tower in their midst. Ditto with the Smart tower on Burgos street. Did they succeed?
Other towers mushroomed in almost every part of the city following the same pattern in construction – the cart ahead of the horse, patayo muna bago permit. Protests soared left and right but in the end, the government just blinked.
We think Aquiling may just see his petition thrown into oblivion. He warned however he is going to court if the sangguniang panlungsod fails him. A TRO or an injunction writ may be his final weapon.
Abangan.
By Danny O. Sagun
CAN the sangguniang panlungsod stand up to giant Globe Telecom vis-à-vis the latter’s antenna being erected somewhere in Caranglaan without the former’s favorable endorsement or approval?
We saw how former city alderman Aquiling Bolinas made his passionate plea before the sanggunian in last Monday’s regular session saying he was directly affected by the presence of that tower being erected at a building just across his house. He said only about 12 persons signed a document that purportedly showed the neighbors’ acceptance of that telecom project when, he stressed, there were hundreds if not thousands of residents needed to be consulted for it. Why, of all available areas like the fields located far from the residential areas, that building in front of his house was selected, he wondered.
He also bared that the barangay was not fully consulted about it with the absence of any public hearing as admitted by the barangay captain.
A representative of the city engineering office told the council that Globe had already complied with requirements except the imprimatur from the sanggunian. Without that authority, the city engineer would not issue the so-called occupancy permit, a prerequisite by the Dagupan Electric Corp. But why the city engineer issued the corresponding building permit even without the sanggunian approval was in itself a big question.
As Aquiling was making his appeal, we noted that some councilors were not in their seats and only about two or three took time listening to his impassioned speech. We observed later that the others locked themselves in a small cubicle beside the table for the presiding officer. One by one they came out of that room. We wondered why Vice-Mayor Alvin or any of the aldermen did not question the quorum.
Will the legislators, some of whom like Chito Samson once rubbed elbows with Aquiling who sat in that very sanggunian some years back, now listen to him?
As a refresher, most of the telecom towers we see around if not all were just suddenly built, to everyone’s surprise before the proponents took time to secure approval from City Hall. And those fearsome structures (what if they fall during big typhoons or earthquakes?) remained there notwithstanding protests from various sectors. Residents of Arellano Bani roundly rejected the Globe tower in their midst. Ditto with the Smart tower on Burgos street. Did they succeed?
Other towers mushroomed in almost every part of the city following the same pattern in construction – the cart ahead of the horse, patayo muna bago permit. Protests soared left and right but in the end, the government just blinked.
We think Aquiling may just see his petition thrown into oblivion. He warned however he is going to court if the sangguniang panlungsod fails him. A TRO or an injunction writ may be his final weapon.
Abangan.
