THE Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) is calling on newly elected councilors to review the proposed ordinance for an underground cable system and remove exposed cable lines which is an eye sore in Baguio City.
In the weekly Talakayan sa Environment Code of the BRM, chairman Erdolfo Balajadia explained although the project maybe costly, there is a need to ask cable line owners to help in putting all cable lines underground.
“We are calling on the new sets of city councilors to dig out this proposed ordinance and try to pursue this because I know the public will be supportive of this action,” Balajadia said.
Benguet Electric Cooperative has started the drawing board for the possibility of installing an underground power distribution system for the city, particularly at the central business district.
Beneco’s board of directors recently met a Korean consultant of the National Electrification Administration, and discussed the technical layout of the underground cables that span around 11 kilometers of lines routed along major parts of the city.
“We are just reminding the incoming officers of the city there is a proposed ordinance which they can pursue with. We are not asking for a miracle because this will require a big budget but as I said, we can ask this people who are earning from this exposed cables to help in the process. Since they earn from this, they should also be one to not uglify Baguio City,” the BRM Chairman added.
Gerardo Verzosa, Beneco General Manager earlier supported the proposed underground cable project since it will solve the perennial problem on dangling cables which continue to mar the city’s bid as a clean and green destination.
City Councilor Joel Alangsab earlier said it would take the cooperation of both Beneco and local telecommunications companies that runs their wiring on city streets to solve the problem of sagging wires.
He also said that a proposal for an underground cable system is one of the viable solution but pointed out that such plan will present a problem in the financial aspect as the project is expected to cost around P2 billion.
In 2017, Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan has ordered the City Engineering Office and City's Council committee to conduct a feasibility study of an underground cable system in the city.
The mayor said the proposal has merit as it address the messy wiring and cable networks of public utility companies that has created eye sores as well as posing danger to the people.