Utility firms urged to remove unserviceable overhead wires

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has requested utility companies to assign personnel dedicated to remove their respective unserviceable overhead wires and cables within the city.

The request was made by the committee on energy, transportation, communications, and other utilities chaired by Councilor Nestor Archival.

“All telecommunication and cable providers have been mandated to rid the city’s streets of the unserviceable lines or “spaghetti wires” that obstruct the city’s visual appeal,” Archival said.

According to him, these wires can cause accidents especially to motorists and pedestrians if these will not be removed.

Last month, in an executive session with the representatives of the utility companies, Archival has already requested them to assign one crew for the removal or rehabilitation of non-livable wires.

During that session, the council aired to the utility companies that there were accidents caused by these utility wires on the street.

Engineer Cayetano Cruz of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company said they have started resolving the problem. However, they have to respond first to the stealing of the utility equipment.

 “Daghang activity. Instead nga didto ma-focus (on rehabilitation and arrangement of wires) naay usahay ang cabinet gikawat gyud kay murag stainless,” he said earlier.

 Cruz assured that there are names of the companies printed on the respective wires to identify the owner of a certain wire that caused the accident.

 Archival said in his resolution that an electric utility company in the Visayas has started removing these wires but their action was affected by the “spaghetti wires” owned by telecommunication providers.

“The Visayan Electric Company (VECO) has intensified its operation to remove wooden posts and unserviceable posts, however, VECO’s operation is hampered due to the non-removable of the telecommunication providers’ unserviceable lines,” he stated.

 He added that the lack of personnel concentrating on this problem of the utility companies must be addressed.

 “The city recognizes the efforts of some telecommunication providers complying with the mandate, however, the lack of manpower focusing on removing the unserviceable lines has been a concern that need to be addressed,” Archival said.

“It is but appropriate that telecommunication and cable providers should have personnel assigned to remove said wires to synchronize with VECO’s operation,” he added. (FREEMAN)