DICT to PNP: Help control crowds around cell sites in typhoon-hit areas
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is calling for police assistance to help control large crowds in the vicinity of cell sites / towers in areas devastated by Typhoon Odette.
In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte aired on Tuesday morning, acting DICT Sec. Manny Caintic said that typhoon survivors eager to contact their relatives gather at the vicinity of cell towers to get a stronger, more stable mobile signal, resulting in large crowds.
“We need the help of the PNP (Philippine National Police) to help protect the connect tower dahil dinudumog (because people are flocking to them),” he said.
“Kung walang pulis, mahirap silang ipa-fall in line at saka ‘yung iba nagtetelebabad so ‘pag may pulis, medyo napipigil,” he added.
(If there are no police officers, people are hard to control and some of them even linger.)
Caintic said telecommunications facilities were badly damaged by Typhoon Odette.
Caintic reported that Globe’s overall restoration is at 73%, while Smart’s and Dito’s are at 71% and over 55%, respectively.
He said restoration efforts may be finished before the end of the year, but pointed out that power supply problems are slowing down restoration efforts.
