Cebu City passes ordinance for color coding of utility lines

Spaghetti wires of telecom firms form a canopy of disorder above passing motorists on corner Don Gil Garcia and Llorente Streets in Cebu City.  (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has passed an ordinance that would color code all utility lines in the city.

Councilor Nestor Archival authored the ordinance providing the mandatory color-coding of utility lines within the city, which was passed in its final reading on November 18, 2020.

Archival said that the ordinance should have been passed a long time ago with spaghetti wires being one of the major problems in the city.

“The color-coding system of identification is seen as an immediate solution to the unsightly and indiscriminate manner of utility installations that have resulted in the so-called spaghetti lines,” said Archival.

The color-coding of utility lines is expected to help in the faster identification of the line for safer and faster repair and maintenance.

In the ordinance, Utility Line Owners (ULO) such as electrical and telecommunication utilities must submit an installation plan to the Utility Line Installation Coordination Committee (ULICC) at least 15 days prior to installing a new line.

The ULICC will determine the color-coding of all utility lines in the city in consultation with the utility companies.

For existing lines, all ULO will need to submit is an inventory and status report for their lines.

Once the existing wires are upgraded to the color-coded lines, the ULO must maintain these lines and submit progress and status reports regularly, the frequency of which will also be determined by the ULICC.

Violators of the ordinance would be fined P5,000 and their permit will be suspended for six months.

The ordinance is awaiting the signature of Mayor Edgardo Labella for implementation. /rcg