A SOFTDRINKS-carrying truck accidentally snagged cable and electric wirings causing an electric post to lean towards the road in Matina Crossing, Davao City Wednesday evening, January 26.
Netizens shared posts of the leaning electric post that had resulted in the heavy traffic near the area.
Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) Reputation Enhancement Department manager Fermin Edillon told SunStar Davao in a phone interview Thursday, January 26 that they are already coordinating with another telecommunication (telco) company.
He said two posts were damaged by the accident, one is from Davao Light, and the other from the telco.
He admitted that they are having a hard time removing the posts without the presence of the personnel from the affected telco.
"We are now coordinating the telco para simultaneous ang pagtrabaho kay (so that we can have a simultaneous due to) safety reasons tungod maglisod og trabaho among linemen because daghan og (because our linemen cannot work on it immediately considering there are so many) telco lines," Edillon said.
As of now, the accident didn't cause power outages near the area. Although the leaning post poses danger, which must be reported and worked on soonest.
Meanwhile, Edillon said this is one of the incidents that the Underground Electrical Distribution System (UEDS) is trying to avoid.
UEDS is a joint project of the Davao City Government and Davao Light, 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, and installing aerial wires and cables shall place all the wires and cables underground.
Currently, the San Pedro area is expected to be “wire-free” by March this year, in time for the celebration of the Araw ng Dabaw.
He also said that truck drivers should be aware of the places that they should be traversing.
“Naa mga truck nga tag-as kaayo. Wala sila sa required height clearance. Dapat aware sila sa ilang katas-on ug sa ilang gidala (There are trucks that have higher. They are not fit in the height clearance. They should be aware of it, and the items they are carrying),” the official said, adding that they should be considerate of their speed limit as this would also contribute to wires being snagged. RGL