The City Government of Mandaluyong held a public hearing about it’s plan to implement a city-wide underground wiring and cabling system that aims to prevent disasters and accidents caused by tangled overhead wires as well as to beautify the city’s urban landscape.
The activity was organized by the City Council led by Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos and was held at the City Hall Executive Building. In attendance were city hall department heads, barangay captains, representatives of civil society groups, homeowner associations, transport organizations, utility companies and other private sector groups.
City Planning and Development head Engineer Arman Comandao discussed the contents of Draft Ordinance No. 1429 or “An Ordinance Adopting and improving the Integrated Underground Wiring and Cabling System Plan for the City of Mandaluyong” wherein overhead electrical, telecommunications, cable television, and other wires from posts will be transferred underground.
The project will be implemented in four stages and will start at the perimeter of Maysilo Circle where the Mandaluyong City Hall Complex is located.
Comandao said that among the reasons why the underground cabling and wiring system project was created is the city government’s desire to reduce the number of deaths caused by accidental contact with electrical wires, fire incidents caused by electrical overloading, and theft and pilferage on different utility lines.
The project also aims to remove dangling overhead wires which can be toppled down by trees during severe weather conditions. In addition, utility posts will not be allowed to be erected along sidewalks and will reduce right-of-way issues.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Abalos said the city-wide underground cabling and wiring of utilities was already planned a few years back by the city government but was hampered by the pandemic.
She added that transferring utility lines from posts to underground is also part of the city’s Tourism Plan. “Mapapaganda nito ang tanawin sa Mandaluyong dahil mawawala yung mga buhol-buhol na wiring sa labas ng ating mga bahay at sa lansangan.”
The city government will also ensure that the implementation of the project will not affect the traffic flow in the city.
Jenny Herrera
October 17, 2023
