An estimated 100 residents of Barangay San Mateo, Laoag City and adjacent barangays signed an appeal letter asking for the stoppage of the ongoing construction of a cell site in their locality saying they fear that the radiation emitted by the said facility would be bad for their health.

The letter was addressed to the Sangguniang Panlungsod and when it was presented during the council’s regular session last April 13, Laoag City Councilor Vicentito M. Lazo referred the letter to the council’s committees on laws, health and infrastructure for proper action.

In the said letter, the residents requested the city council to step in and stop the ongoing construction and subsequent operation of the cell site in their area as they divulged that they were not informed of the planned construction. They added in the letter that the said issue was also not tackled during their barangay assembly.

Lazo however clarified that the council has no authority to order the stoppage of the construction and operation of the facility as he said the only thing the council could do would be to investigate the matter and sit down with the concerned barangay officials to thresh out the problem.

Lazo also believes that the problem mainly stemmed from the failure of barangay officials to inform residents in the area of the planned construction.

Meanwhile, San Mateo Barangay Chairperson Argente Paulino stated that the planned construction was approved by the barangay council during one of their regular sessions.

The barangay chair also debunked the fears of residents regarding the cell site as he cited several areas in the city’s residential areas and which had not been threatened by radiation.

Paulino also denied that they were bribed by the cell site owners with cell phone units and P1,000 worth of monthly pre-paid loads.

However, Paulino admitted that they were each given a SIM card and loads worth P300 respectively.

He also said a barangay general assembly was not needed since he learned that the cell site owners conducted a signature campaign among the area’s residents. The signature campaign apparently was taken as approval of the residents in the planned construction.

The Ilocos Times tried to reach the owners of the cell site but they were indisposed as of presstime.

Dominic B. dela Cruz