The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has extended the validity of tower licenses from five to 15 years under Department Circular No. 6, Series of 2025, in a bid to accelerate the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure and reduce regulatory delays.
The reform was launched jointly by the DICT and the Information Tower Companies Association of the Philippines (ITCAP) at the PhilTower site in the Meralco Kamuning Substation in Quezon City.
The event was led by DICT secretary Henry Aguda and PhilTower MIDC president Devid H. Gubiani, with representatives from Alliance Towers, American Tower, EdgePoint, Edotco, Frontier Tower Associates, Ison Tower, LDIC, and Unity Digital Infrastructure.
According to the DICT, the longer license period aligns the country with international standards, where tower licenses typically last 10 to 30 years or are indefinite.
The measure also supports the agency’s Common Tower Policy issued in 2020, which allows multiple telecommunications companies to share infrastructure to reduce costs and accelerate coverage expansion, particularly in underserved areas.
Aguda said the extension aims to eliminate bureaucratic barriers and attract more investment in digital infrastructure.
“Less red tape. More towers. Faster Internet. That’s the message,” he said, adding that the initiative forms part of the government’s broader “Digital Bayanihan” push to ensure all Filipinos have reliable internet access.
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