The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has extended the validity of tower licenses from five years to 15 years in a move to cut red tape and speed up the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure nationwide.
The new tower license term extension supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to fast-track digital connectivity across the country. It was launched jointly by the DICT and the Information Tower Companies Association of the Philippines (ITCAP) at the PhilTower site in MERALCO Kamuning Substation, Quezon City.
The event was led by DICT Secretary Henry Aguda and PhilTower MIDC president and ITCAP representative Devid H. Gubiani, along with executives from major tower firms including Alliance Towers, American Tower, EdgePoint, EDOTCO, Frontier Tower Associates, Ison Tower, LDIC, PhilTower MIDC, and Unity Digital Infrastructure.
Aguda said the longer license period will help speed up tower construction, reduce regulatory delays, and align the Philippines with global standards, where tower licenses typically last between 10 and 30 years—or indefinitely in some countries.
The measure also strengthens the DICT’s common tower policy, which allows multiple telecom providers to share tower sites, helping to lower costs and expand coverage, especially in underserved areas.
“Less red tape. More towers. Faster internet. That’s the message. The DICT is here to move, not wait,” Aguda said, adding that the initiative symbolizes “Digital Bayanihan”—a united effort to ensure no Filipino is left offline.
The DICT said the extension reflects its broader push to modernize regulations, empower industry partners, and connect every Filipino through faster, smarter digital infrastructure.
