BAGUIO CITY – City officials recently reiterated to various telecommunication companies operating in the city to fix, relocate or remove their respective dangling cable wires or the so-called ‘spaghetti’ wires attached to poles and posts along the roads and streets posing danger to the general public’s lives and properties.
Under Resolution No. 503, series of 2023, local legislators stated that the local government prioritized the clearing of fallen trees affecting power lines, cables and roadsides to avoid life-threatening situations involving the existence of dangling cable wires and poles or posts which had been affected by the recent wrath of Supertyphoon Egay.
Earlier, the local legislative body adopted several legislations to address the presence of dangling cable and telecommunication wires or ‘spaghetti’ wires and poles or posts posing danger to the general public by various public utility companies operating in the city.
Among the said legislations include Resolution No. 088, series of 2012 supporting the request of the Benguet electric Cooperative, Inc. in its letter dated March 29, 2012 with regard to cables/lines attached to BENECO poles and strongly urging the PLDT/Piltel/Smart, Globe Telecom, Mountain View Satellite Corporation, Digitel, Sky Cable and Bayantel to take necessary action regarding their respective cables/lines; Resolution NO. 140, series of 2018 that declared and adopted as a policy of the local government for utility poles and support structures by the Benguet electric Cooperative, cable television, communication companies and industries, and other utility companies be installed or relocated only in areas or locations duly identified for the purpose in coordination with the affected or concerned implementing agencies; Resolution No. 253, series of 2018 directing the various telecommunication companies to fix, relocate or remove their respective dangling cable wires and poles or posts along Legarda Road, Military Cutoff and Kennon Road within ten days from receipt of the said resolution and Resolution No. 032, series of 2022 that reiterated Resolution No. 140, series of 2018 and Resolution NO. 253, series of 2018 to the Department of Public works and Highways – Cordillera Administrative Region (DPWH-CAR), the Benguet Electric Cooperative and the cable television, communication and other utility companies to remove or relocate electric poles or posts, dangling cable wires, and other obstructions within the national government’s right-of-way as a result of road widening and other related projects in t6he city.
The council claimed that Super5tyhoon Egay has left in its wake a trail of devastation in several parts of the country, affecting over half a million people and leaving many homes and livelihoods in ruins, particularly in Northern Luzon.
Further, a large part of the city on July 27, 2023 remained without electricity in the aftermath of the weather disturbance after strong winds and intense rains toppled power lines and cable wires during the onslaught of the said typhoon.