EXPECT heavier traffic congestion along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue as the second part of the third phase of the underground cabling project will commence today or next week, a Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) official said.
“The second part of the project from Suazo hangtod didto sa Boulevard pagawas gyud didto sa may arko na Chinese, sugdan na na siya anytime (from corner Suazo Street until the Chinese arch, the underground cabling project will start anytime),” Davao Light reputation enhancement manager Fermin Edillon said in a radio interview on July 13.
Edillon said that Davao Light’s target to start the groundbreaking will be sometime today or next week, as they just received their permits to start their construction along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, also known as Uyanguren.
“Expect lang pod mo na anytime soon mag-traffic ang area... ug abog pod... ang target nato ani is by Friday [July 14] if not sometime next week, mao na’y target nato na makasugod ta (Just expect that anytime soon there will be traffic in the area and will very dusty, as we target this part of the project to start by July 14),” Edillon said.
Edillon said the first part of phase three in Magsaysay, covering the Philippine Post Office up to the corner of Suazo street, is still ongoing at 57 percent overall completion.
“Buot pasabot humana ang kalot, na-restore na nato, nabutangan na nato’g pipe sa ilalom, ang kulang na lang magbutang og wires sa ilalom (We have put pipes underground but we still have to put wires in it),” the official said.
He also said they conduct close coordination with the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) in guiding motorists during anticipated traffic congestion.
The official also told commuters and drivers “not to worry so much” as the construction will be done during the night as suggested by CTTMO.
Edillon said the third phase of the underground cabling project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year, before the start of 2024 Araw ng Davao.
The cabling along Uyanguren will be the third of five phases required by City Ordinance 0152-17 Series of 2017, which requires all telecommunications firms, Davao Light, and all other parties involved to convert overhead wires to an underground system.