THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the National Capital Region (NCR) is planning to adopt the Underground Electrical Distribution System of the Davao City Government and AboitizPower subsidiary Davao Light and Power Company.
In a press release, DPWH-NCR said the agency is preparing for a pilot feasibility studies on the implementation of the underground cabling along the areas of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) and Katipunan Avenue Extension in Quezon City.
A team was sent in Davao City to observe the city’s implementation of the underground utility cabling system on March 21 to 22, 2022.
The DPWH-NCR team personally visited both the completed and ongoing portions in the areas of Claveria, C.M. Recto, Davao City Hall, and Sangguniang Panlungsod.
DPWH-NCR Engineers Mariel Vergara, Xinrex Nicolas, and Public Information Officer Jana Patricia Reyes met with Davao City Government officials and Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to discuss the possible adoption of their methodology to Metro Manila.
DLPC officials shared the process they had undertaken on the underground utility cabling system, best practices observed, as well as constraints encountered during the implementation of the project at the City Engineer’s Office.
One of the suggestions raised is the imposition of ordinances requiring full participation of the concessionaires, and the creation of “Underground Utility Cabling Committee” that will constantly coordinate and meet for developments and issues in the implementation.
DPWH-NCR Director Nomer Abel Canlas said their office is considering to wholly fund the project for added income generation for the government, and to subsidize the transfer costs first for concessionaires such as Meralco, water utility companies, and telecommunication operators in the region.
Both the Davao City Government and DLPC seconded the idea brought up during the meeting and encouraged the agency to fund the implementation of the project in Metro Manila.
The city’s underground cabling project is in accordance with City Ordinance 0177-14, Series of 2014. Section 5 of the ordinance mandates all electric utility companies and public telecommunication carriers servicing the city, including but not limited to other persons constructing, maintaining, installing aerial wires and cables shall place all the wires and cables underground.
DLPC has completed its underground cabling activities along C.M. Recto Street from corner San Pedro Street to corner Ramon Magsaysay Avenue in the city in August 2021.
This is the second underground cabling project in the city with the first project implemented in 2016 around Davao City Hall and Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in her State of the City Address (Soca) on March 17, that more areas in the city will also be “free from the messy tangle of wires and cables.”
DLPC President and COO Rodger Velasco told SunStar Davao in an event on March 21 that they are working on the project to the entire stretch of San Pedro, and at the same time, in Ramon Magsaysay Avenue (formerly Uyanguren).
“Probably barring all delays such as weather and right-of-way, probably within the year, mahuman namo ang (we can finish the area of) [Phase 2] San Pedro,” Velasco said.
Other areas wherein the underground cabling project will be implemented include Ponciano Reyes Street and its lateral streets, and Quirino Avenue. (With PR)