THE Cebu City Government is making strides in tackling the tangle of overhead wires in the city, as a private firm is set to commence underground cabling installations in May 2024.
In an interview on Friday, Feb. 16, Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, said the underground installation of cable wires will encompass the main thoroughfares of Cebu City, totaling 90 kilometers.
In 2023, MetroWorks ICT Construction Inc. (MetroWorks) proposed a public-private partnership with the Cebu City Government to install a one-pole system and an underground cabling system within Cebu City. These projects were outlined in a letter of intent dated June 30, 2023, which the Office of the Mayor received on July 7 of the same year.
In the letter signed by Miles Tonn Chua, chief operating officer of MetroWorks, said it shares Cebu City’s mission and vision to become a globally competitive and ecologically balanced city.
Guardo said they will pilot the project before entering into a contract with the proponent through a memorandum of agreement (MOA).
He said the pilot area, Osmeña Blvd., within the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit Package 1 stretch, will demonstrate the project’s feasibility and will serve as proof of concept for the whole project.
“It will greatly enhance the city’s appeal because the streets will be clean without overhead wires,” he said in Cebuano.
Pilot project
He said underground cabling will be installed on both sides of the main thoroughfare.
The pilot project, spanning corner N. Bacalso, Osmeña Blvd. straight to Jones Ave., up to the Cebu Provincial Capitol, will cover 800 meters, according to Guardo.
He said the project will still undergo scrutiny by the joint venture selection committee, and the council will authorize the signing of a MOA with the proponent.
He said the proponent is expected to start with the project implementation by May or June 2024.
The completion of the proof of concept is expected to coincide with the completion of the CBRT Package 1.
Guardo said the budgetary requirement has been approved by the proponent’s Technical Working Group, although the specific amount has not been disclosed yet.
He added that the proponent is still waiting for a MOA to finalize the project.
The underground cabling system aims to replace overhead cables with an underground system to improve the aesthetics and safety of power lines within the city.
The one-pole system aims to streamline the city’s numerous poles by installing a single pole at specific locations to be shared by all telecommunication companies.