A utility worker on a ladder. | CDN Photo by Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – The Mandaue City Government has started implementing the city’s ordinance Single Pole Ordinance that aims to address public safety and enhance beautification program.
The Visayan Electric Company (VECO) started clearing wires along Ouano Avenue, North Reclamation Area in the city on Monday, Nov. 18.
The city ordinance “Establishing a Single-Pole Policy and Providing Measures for the Enhanced Rectification of Low-lying, Unsightly and Sub-standard Installation of Aerial Utility Lines and the Eradication of Dead Wires” was passed last August but the public consultation was conducted September last year.
Under the ordinance all utility companies should use a single post and eliminate the wooden or the other clustered poles.
The post of the dominant utility company will remain which is VECO. With this, the wires from other telco companies will be consolidated and attached to their poles.
Moreover, the height of the wires will be elevated from 16 ft. to 20 ft, to avoid incidents where trucks dragged down low-hanging wires, causing road closure and heavy traffic, said city councilor Jimmy Lumapas, the author of the ordinance and the chairman of the Committee on Transportation.
Mayor Glenn Bercede, said that the city-wide implementation would provide safer and cleaner streets. The project is at no cost to the city.
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VECO President Raul Lucero that single pole will be implemented first at the major thoroughfares in Mandaue including A.S Fortuna St.
Lucero said that the completion would probably take over a year especially that there are few poles in the city.
He said that the operation for a span of a single pole would take around half a day excluding fixing of leaning or damaged posts.
Lucero assured that during operations, there might be mininal disruptions to electricity, internet, and traffic.
“[Ni-advocate gyud ang VECO sa Single Pole] kay naa instances nga uban telcos magbutang gyud og ilaha nga poste despite nga naa nay poste, mahitabo naay magdoble o tagtulo. Gamay baya og sidewalk atoang karsada, naay lugar gamay ang aginanan,” said Lucero. / mme