Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.____ 
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution provides that the State is mandated to “promote a just and 
dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and 
free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for 
all” (Art. II, Sec. 9).  Digital connectivity has become a prerequisite to these aspirations.  
Yet, even in densely populated urban areas, many Filipinos still struggle with dropped 
calls, slow data, and dead zones—problems that are often most acute inside residential 
subdivisions and socialized‑housing communities where towers and other support 
facilities were never planned for or were actively resisted. 
The legal architecture already recognizes connectivity as a public necessity.  
Republic Act (RA) 10844 created the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT) and declared as policy “the development of a reliable and 
cost‑efficient ICT infrastructure” nationwide.  RA 7925, the Public Telecommunications 
Policy Act, enshrines the principle of universal access, while RA 11032, the Ease of Doing 
Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, directs all government offices 
to harness ICT to cut red tape.  Recent reforms—such as RA 11659 amending the Public 
Service Act and Executive Order 32, series of 2023, which streamlines the permitting of 
shared 
passive 
telecommunications 
tower 
infrastructure—confirm the 
State’s 
determination to accelerate network roll‑out. 
Housing law, however, has not kept pace.  Presidential Decree (PD) 957, the 
Subdivision and Condominium Buyers’ Protective Decree, and its amendment PD 1216, 
require developers to reserve at least thirty per cent (30 %) of the gross area for roads, 
parks and other open spaces, but they make no explicit provision for digital 
infrastructure.  This omission seemed unremarkable in 1976; today it is a critical gap.  
Homeowners’ associations cite deed restrictions to bar or delay construction of towers.  
Developers hesitate to reallocate portions of open space for fear of violating PD 957, while 
July 24, 2025
4:01 pm
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ICT providers face protracted negotiations and overlapping approvals.  The result is a 
patchwork of poorly served residential pockets, undermining the country’s National 
Broadband Plan and stunting opportunities for work‑from‑home employment, online 
learning, telemedicine, e‑commerce, and e‑government. 
The COVID‑19 pandemic laid bare the social cost of this digital divide.  Students 
lost precious instructional time when they could not connect to virtual classrooms; 
patients in lockdown could not access telehealth; businesses faltered because cashless 
transactions were unreliable.  In the New Normal, connectivity is no longer a luxury but 
an 
essential 
public 
utility, 
akin 
to 
water 
and 
power. 
 
The 
“Housing 
Development Digital Connectivity Act” therefore seeks to embed that reality in land‑use 
and housing policy. 
This measure seeks to empower every Filipino household whether in a gated 
village or a socialized‑housing block to participate fully in the digital economy, close the 
education gap, and access government services without needless travel or queueing. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 


3 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.____ 
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR 
AN ACT  
1 
MANDATING THE ALLOCATION OF AN AREA FOR INFORMATION AND 
2 
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES IN 
3 
SUBDIVISIONS AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS 
4 
5 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in  Congress 
6 
assembled:  
7 
8 
 SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Housing Development         
9 
Digital Connectivity Act”.  
10 
11 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to undertake, in
12 
cooperation with the private sector, a continuing program of urban and housing 
13 
development         which considers the provision of integrated, reliable, and affordable 
14 
information and   communications technology (ICT) services.  
15 
Recognizing the need for such an integrated approach in nation-building, the State 
16 
shall pursue the development of affordable housing side by side with sustainable 
17 
physical           infrastructure that responds to the needs of the population and residents 
18 
including those            pertaining to connectivity, health, education, housing, community, 
19 
public space, transportation,  sports and recreation, the practice of faith, public 
20 
information, arts and culture, and public safety.  
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The State shall ensure the provision of ICT infrastructure and facilities in 
1 
subdivisions and housing development projects in order to provide interoperability 
2 
among government, industry players, and citizens to facilitate access to information and 
3 
processing of licenses, clearances,  permits, certifications and other requirements of the 
4 
government.  
5 
  
6 
  
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act:  
7 
(a) 
Critical ICT infrastructure refers to ICT systems and assets so vital to the 
8 
Republic            of the Philippines that the incapacity or destruction of such systems or 
9 
assets would have a  detrimental impact on national security;  
10 
(b) 
Homeowners’ association refers to a nonstock, nonprofit corporation 
11 
registered with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development 
12 
(DHSUD), or one previously registered with the Philippine Guarantee Corporation or 
13 
the Securities and Exchange Commission, organized by owners or purchasers of a lot in 
14 
a subdivision, village or other residential real property located within the jurisdiction of 
15 
the association; or awardees, usufructuaries, legal occupants and lessees of housing units 
16 
and lots or lots in a government socialized or economic housing or relocation project and 
17 
other urban estates; or underprivileged and homeless citizens as defined under existing 
18 
laws in the process of being accredited as usufructuaries or awardees of ownership rights 
19 
under the Community Mortgage Program, Land Tenure Assistance Program and other 
20 
similar programs in relation to a socialized housing project actually being implemented 
21 
by the national government or  the local government unit;  
22 
(c) 
Independent tower company (ITC) refers to a private entity duly organized 
23 
and           existing under the laws of the Philippines, registered with the Department of 
24 
Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and engaged in the business of 
25 
establishing or operating one or more shared passive telecommunications tower 
26 
infrastructure;  
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5  
(d) 
Information and communications technology (ICT) refers to the totality of              
1 
electronic means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present, and          
2 
disseminate information as defined under Republic Act (RA) No. 10844, otherwise 
3 
known as the “Department of Information and Communications Technology Act of 
4 
2015”;   
5 
(e) 
ICT infrastructure and facilities refer to telecommunications towers, cell sites, 
6 
base stations, antenna, commercial power systems, and other telecommunication 
7 
apparatus such as switches, cables, and poles needed to provide telecommunications 
8 
service;   
9 
(f) 
ICT provider refers to any person, firm, partnership or corporation, 
10 
government or private, engaged in the provision of ICT services including public 
11 
telecommunications entity as defined under RA 7925, otherwise known as the “Public 
12 
Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines”; and   
13 
(g) 
Passive telecommunications tower infrastructure (PTTI) refers to all types of              
14 
outdoor non-electronic communications infrastructure or civil works, including towers,              
15 
masts, poles, and other similar infrastructure such as the following:  
16 
(1) 
Appurtenant shelters, sheds, cabins, cabinets or other similar 
17 
housing for the base band units, radio units, and related electronic equipment, as 
18 
well as the cable entrances thereof;  
19 
(2) 
Ducts, ladders, arresters, mounts, cable entrances, and the cable 
20 
trays of the PTTI;  
21 
(3) 
Shared fiber optic or radio frequency cables or other similar 
22 
equipment assemblies that make up the fronthaul;  
23 
(4) 
Power supply and back-up power management systems; and  
24 
(5) 
All other facilities necessary and pertinent to the proper, resilient, 
25 
and continuous operation of a PTTI, built either on the ground or installed on 
26 
buildings, walls, rooftops or other edifice, that are utilized for purposes of 
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6  
mounting antennas, transmitters or receivers, radio frequency modules, and other 
1 
radio communications systems as macro cell sites for the rendition of information 
2 
and communications technology services in the telecommunications network.   
3 
 
4 
SEC. 4. Housing Development Enhancement. – To promote the accessibility of ICT             
5 
and ensure digital connectivity in urban centers and populated areas of the country, all 
6 
housing projects, subdivisions, villages, or other residential real property, including 
7 
mixed residential housing and commercial development project, and socialized or 
8 
economic housing shall allocate an area within its designated open space for the 
9 
establishment of ICT infrastructure and related amenities.  
10 
  
11 
SEC. 5.  Housing Projects.  –  A developer of a subdivision project shall set aside 
12 
an area for ICT infrastructure and facilities in the open space mandated under Section 31 
13 
of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 957, otherwise known as “The Subdivision and 
14 
Condominium Buyers’ Protective Decree”, as amended by PD 1216. Priority shall be 
15 
given to critical ICT infrastructure.   
16 
(a) 
In order to maintain the area reserved for parks, playgrounds and 
17 
recreational use, and other public space for social infrastructure and community 
18 
activities, the developer may opt to provide an area for ICT infrastructure and facilities 
19 
from the net saleable lots outside the mandatory thirty percent (30%) of the gross area for 
20 
open space, and the use for ICT infrastructure and facilities of these saleable lots zoned 
21 
as residential shall be allowed, unless there are express prohibitions under existing laws, 
22 
regulations, and ordinances, and shall not be used as a reason for denying the certificate 
23 
of completion for the subdivision project: Provided, That prior to the completion of the 
24 
subdivision project, the developer may enter into agreements for the construction, 
25 
maintenance, and operation of the communications facilities compliant with the 
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7  
requirements of this Act of the DICT or the National Telecommunications Commission 
1 
(NTC), whichever is applicable.   
2 
(b) 
The area set aside for ICT infrastructure and facilities can either be obtained              
3 
through direct purchase based on the fair market value of the land or used by way of a 
4 
long-term lease: Provided, That the expenses incurred in building the ICT infrastructure 
5 
and facilities shall be borne by the purchaser or the lessee which is an ICT provider or by 
6 
a duly registered ITC: Provided, further, That developers of future subdivision projects 
7 
may likewise opt to serve as the ITC, by itself or through its affiliate or subsidiary: 
8 
Provided, finally, That payment of any kind for the establishment of ICT infrastructure and 
9 
facilities shall be held in trust by the developer in favor of the homeowners’ association 
10 
and turned over once the homeowners’ association is constituted in accordance with 
11 
Section 30 of PD 957 and registered with the DHSUD pursuant to Section 5(IV)(a) of RA 
12 
1201, otherwise known as the “Department of Human Settlements and Urban              
13 
Development Act”, in relation to Section 4 of RA 9904, also known as the “Magna Carta  
14 
for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations”, except in cases under Section 5(a) of 
15 
this Act where payment shall accrue to the developer.   
16 
(c) 
All ICT infrastructure and facilities, particularly PTTI, to be built in future 
17 
housing subdivision projects shall be non-exclusive and shall be accessible for shared use 
18 
by ICT provider and all installation of active infrastructure such as antennas, 
19 
transmitters,   receivers, radio frequency modules, radio communication systems, and 
20 
other active information and communications technology equipment, units, and 
21 
implements for  macro cell sites, as well as improvements, renovations, upgrades, or 
22 
updates thereof, shall  be co-located thereon but subject to the consent of the developer 
23 
or the homeowners’  association, as the case may be.  
24 
 
25 
SEC. 6. Existing Subdivisions. – Homeowners’ associations in existing 
26 
subdivisions  shall provide an area in the open space mandated under Section 31 of PD 
27 


  
8  
957, as amended by  PD 1216, further amended by this Act, where ICT infrastructure and 
1 
facilities shall be established.  
2 
   
3 
(a) 
If the area identified for ICT infrastructure and facilities is located in an 
4 
open space  in an existing subdivision already donated and accepted by the city or 
5 
municipality, the  clearance of the city or municipality shall be secured.   
6 
(b) 
If the area identified for ICT infrastructure and facilities is located in an 
7 
open space in an existing subdivision already donated and turned over to the 
8 
homeowners’ association with the consent of the city or municipality, the homeowners’ 
9 
association shall be consulted in accordance with Section 19 of RA 9904 and secure its 
10 
clearance.   
11 
(c) 
If the area identified for ICT infrastructure and facilities, however, is a lot 
12 
in an           existing subdivision owned by a private individual, consultation with and 
13 
clearance from  the homeowners’ associations shall be required and the deed of 
14 
restrictions insofar as the subject lot is concerned shall be deemed modified accordingly: 
15 
Provided, That the subsequent related application for clearances before the homeowners’ 
16 
association shall be strictly governed by the guidelines provided under Section 15 of RA 
17 
11032, otherwise known as the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service 
18 
Delivery Act of 2018”, and violation thereof shall be imposed the sanctions set forth in 
19 
the law.  
20 
(d) 
In all instances, the area set aside for ICT infrastructure and facilities can 
21 
either be obtained through direct purchase based on the fair market value of the land or 
22 
used by way of a long-term lease: Provided, That the expenses incurred in building the 
23 
ICT infrastructure and facilities shall be borne by the purchaser or the lessee which is an 
24 
ICT provider or by a duly registered ITC: Provided, further, That the ICT provider shall 
25 
not be considered as a homeowner of the subdivision project, notwithstanding the 
26 
definition of homeowner provided under Section 3(j) of Republic Act No. 9904: Provided, 
27 


  
9  
furthermore, That ICT providers shall conform to the guidelines, standards, rules and 
1 
regulations of the DHSUD, the Department of Health (DOH), and the National Building 
2 
Code on the design, location, and perimeter distance of the infrastructure and facilities.   
3 
(e) 
All ICT infrastructure and facilities, particularly PTTI, to be built in an 
4 
existing subdivision shall be non-exclusive and shall be accessible for shared use by ICT 
5 
provider and all installation of active infrastructure such as antennas, transmitters, 
6 
receivers, radio  frequency modules, radio communication systems, and other active ICT 
7 
equipment, units, and implements for macro cell sites, as well as improvements, 
8 
renovations, upgrades, or updates thereof, shall be co-located thereon, subject to the 
9 
consent of the developer or the homeowners’ association, as the case may be.   
10 
(f) 
Existing subdivisions with established ICT infrastructure and facilities shall 
11 
be deemed compliant with this Act: Provided, That the ICT infrastructure and facilities 
12 
are compliant with the requirements of the DICT.  
13 
(g) 
In any case, the consent of the city or municipality referred to under Section 
14 
6(a)  of this Act and the consultation and consent required in accordance with Section 19 
15 
of RA 9904 referred under Section 6(b) herein shall be governed by the guidelines 
16 
provided under  Section 15 of RA 11032. The request for the issuance of consent referred 
17 
hereunder shall be deemed approved and issued by the DHSUD and the Anti-Red Tape 
18 
Authority in case there is failure to act upon the request within the prescribed period.  
19 
(h) In case of national emergency, the requirement of clearance from homeowners’ 
20 
associations shall be suspended or waived, pursuant to RA 11517, entitled “An Act             
21 
Authorizing the President to Expedite the Processing and Issuance of National and Local              
22 
Permits, Licenses and Certifications in Times of National Emergency”, notwithstanding  
23 
the right of homeowners’ associations to regulate access to the subdivision, subject to 
24 
conditions stipulated under Section 10 of RA 9904.  
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10  
SEC. 7. Jurisdiction of Human Settlements Adjudication Commission. – In case of              
1 
denial of clearance by the homeowners’ association under Section 6(b) of this Act, ICT              
2 
providers may file a case before the Regional Adjudication Branch of the Human 
3 
Settlements Adjudication Commission. The Regional Adjudication Branch of the region 
4 
where the              subdivision is located shall exercise original and exclusive jurisdiction 
5 
to hear and decide  the case.  
6 
  
7 
SEC. 8. Rationalized Locational Plan. – The DICT and the NTC shall, in 
8 
consultation            with the relevant stakeholders, prepare a comprehensive locational 
9 
plan that identifies the sites              for the construction and establishment of ICT 
10 
infrastructure and facilities in accordance with              the comprehensive land use plan 
11 
and zoning ordinance of each local government unit.  
12 
Such rationalized locational plan shall be reviewed every five (5) years by the 
13 
DICT  and NTC, in coordination with the DHSUD and the Department of the Interior and 
14 
Local Government (DILG).  
15 
The NTC shall issue the document certifying the necessity for ICT infrastructure 
16 
and  facilities as provided under the rationalized locational plan of proposed sites.   
17 
   
18 
SEC. 9. Information Campaign. – The DICT shall, in partnership with the DHSUD, 
19 
DILG, DOH, and the Food and Drug Administration, in coordination with ICT providers,              
20 
conduct an information campaign to address the safety concerns on the radio frequency              
21 
radiation emitted by telecommunication towers.   
22 
  
23 
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the         
24 
effectivity of this Act, the DHSUD shall, in consultation with the DICT, NTC, DILG, DOH,              
25 
and the stakeholders, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective       
26 
implementation of this Act.  
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11  
  
1 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be declared       
2 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in 
3 
full force           and effect.  
4 
  
5 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. – Sec. 31 of PD 957, as amended by PD 1216, is hereby            
6 
further amended. All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and other executive              
7 
issuances which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby              
8 
amended or repealed accordingly.  
9 
  
10 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication              
11 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
12 
  
13 
Approved,  
14