THE Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) announced on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, that it is now 50 percent complete with its second phase of the Underground Cabling Project (UCP) in R. Magsaysay Avenue, Davao City.
Fermin Edillon, head of the Reputation Enhancement Department of Davao Light, during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing, said that the R. Magsaysay Avenue UCP, a key infrastructure project, is being implemented in two phases.
The first phase, which spans from the Davao City Central Post Office to the regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Suazo Street, was completed successfully earlier this year.
The second phase, which runs from the BFAR office to the Unity Archway at the junction of R. Magsaysay Avenue and Quezon Boulevard, is now 50 percent complete.
“We are happy to inform the public that the first phase of the underground cabling project along R. Magsaysay Avenue has been successfully completed,” Edillon stated.
“Last Sunday, we also finished clearing the utility poles and discarded cables from the post office to Suazo Street. The area is now much cleaner and visually appealing. There are still some installations to be done, such as streetlights, to further brighten up the road,” he added.
The underground cabling project is part of Davao Light’s commitment to enhancing the city's infrastructure and making it safer for residents and visitors alike.
The initiative is in line with City Ordinance No. 0152-17, which mandates that all telecommunication companies, Davao Light, and other utility providers convert overhead lines to an underground system. This ordinance aims to reduce visual clutter and improve safety along the city's main roads.
Edillon shared that Davao Light remains on track to complete the entire R. Magsaysay Avenue UCP by December of this year, further contributing to the city's goal of creating a more modern and visually pleasing urban environment.
“This ordinance from the city government directs all utility companies to place their overhead lines underground. Davao Light is one of the companies actively implementing this project,” Edillon shared.
The UCP is part of a broader effort that began with Ordinance No. 0177-14 Series of 2014, which initially covered the areas surrounding Davao City Hall and the Sangguniang Panlungsod building.
In March 2023, Davao Light celebrated the completion of the first of the five phases of the UCP with the inauguration of a wire-free San Pedro Street. Spanning 0.6 kilometers from City Hall to Quirino Avenue, the San Pedro UCP set the stage for subsequent phases of the project.
Just four months after the completion of San Pedro Street’s underground cabling, the city government of Davao, together with Davao Light, broke ground for the second phase of the UCP along R. Magsaysay Avenue. DEF