BUSINESSMEN and residents along the stretch of Jose Abad Santos Avenue (Jasa) expressed opposition on Wednesday to the proposed relocation of National Grid Power Corporation’s (NGCP) transmission line posts inside their respective property lines.
The group named Fernandino Jasa stakeholders, composed of owners of different businesses including gasoline stations, restaurants and automotive, and residents of Villa Barosa Subdivision, met Wednesday morning to air their concerns over the possible risks and hazards on their health and properties if the relocation of steel posts is implemented.
It was learned that NGCP’s plan stemmed from the request of the City Government of San Fernando to move the posts farther away from the road for safety and aesthetics purposes.
Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (Pamcham) and Laus Group of Companies Chairman Levy Laus said that last June 20 the NGCP proposed to acquire part of the property line of his automotive business at P6,000 per square meter for the movement of one of the electric posts.
Laus, who led the stakeholders meeting, stressed that the giant steel posts carries some 23,000 volts of electricity and their relocation closer to their business offices and residences will pose a threat to the health and safety of employees, customers, visitors and others who stay around the area on a daily basis.
He added that in times of calamities like earthquakes or typhoons, the live wires could get cut and swing towards buildings that may not only damage infrastructures but also may also compromise human lives.
“We understand that the move is intended to safeguard the motoring public but they must also consider health hazards and danger that the giant steel posts may cause inside our property lines,” Laus said.
Marie Guevarra, a resident of Villa Barosa Subdivision Phase 2, lamented the pending loss of their home and livelihood should the program pursue.
She said that while their lives and properties are at stake, the NGCP haven’t coordinated with them ever since the project.
Meanwhile, Marco Hizon, who represented the Hizon Group of Companies, asked the NGCP to initiate a meeting with the affected stakeholders and the City Government to discuss and settle the concern.
He stressed that the three parties must meet at a common ground immediately since the matter concerns health, security and economy.
“There are other alternatives. One of which is the one I saw in China where steel posts were used to separate the main highway from the service road by creating an island around it. But we cannot discuss all these alternatives if we will not meet and discuss it,” he said.
Laus also noted the movement of steel posts at the side may still affect the aesthetic of the capital city and worst, will deprive it from huge development such as construction of skyscrapers and tall buildings especially along this major thoroughfare.
Instead of moving the steel posts near business and residential areas, Laus proposed that they be relocated in an open area or rice field that is less populated.
He noted that NGCP has warned the public to avoid constructing infrastructures 30 meters away from any steel posts, yet they are putting it just five meters away from a more populated one.
“This meeting is just a pre-emptive move to convey our message of opposition on the propose program. We also wanted to show that they cannot bully us because we are together in this concern, same thing that we do not aim to bully them because we are just rallying for a good cause,” he said.