Rama wants all Cebu City streets lighted by July 1

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama holds a press  briefing on March 17, 2022 at the Plaza Independencia. | FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has instructed the Visayan Electric and Department of Public Services (DPS) to light up all the streets in the city by July 1, 2022. 

Rama said that all of the city’s streetlights should be lighted when he would start his fresh term as mayor because this was one of the projects of late Mayor Edgardo Labella that he wanted to complete. 

“By July 1, let there be light, let there be water. In other words, they must do their job because we had a problem during Odette. I don’t want any problem when the time comes,” said Rama. 

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) already said that they would not be able to reach the deadline as the new supply would arrive by September.

However, they assured that more water would be coming from the Lusaran Bulk Water Project. 

Visayan Electric told CDN Digital that they were now coordinating with the DPS for the Let there Be Light program, which is a program to provides streetlighting all over the city. 

“We have always been assisting the city in keeping streetlights on. We are coordinating with DPS so that we will know the areas in the city where streetlight repair is needed,” said the power utility firm. 

The utility firm explained that the city government would identify the streetlights and would provide the materials, while they would help in the installation. 

DPS head, Lawyer John Jigo Dacua, said they already met with Visayan Electric for the mayor’s July 1 deadline. 

“Ato gyong giprioritize ang mga main throughfares. Magsugod ta sa N. Bacalso Avenue nya magsanga-sanga na from there, he told CDN Digital. 

(We are prioritizing the main thoroughfares. We will start at N. Bacalso Avenue then we will branch out from there.)

As for the July 1 deadline, Dacua said they would try their best to complete all streets by then. 

If they can’t, they will work hard to complete the major thoroughfares at least. 

Rama said that the program must be completed because lighting the streets would enhance safety and security for the public and motorists.

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