Cebu bids goodbye to tangled cables

CEBU CITY — Unsightly cables and life-threatening old poles will soon be a thing of the past in Cebu City.

Following the incidents of falling poles that have so far claimed two innocent lives, six companies in Cebu have agreed to fix or remove “spaghetti wires” and rotting poles.

The Cebu City government had previously passed City Ordinance 1894, which aims to address the problem of tangled wires, but the ordinance has not been fully and strictly implemented.

The city summoned the companies following recent incidents involving utility posts that caused the death of two people – a woman and a 13-year-old boy.

During last Wednesday’s meeting with Mayor Michael Rama, representatives from Bayantel, Skycable, Globe Telecom, Visayan Electric Company, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and Telicphil have all agreed to comply with the ordinance to ensure public safety.

The Cebu City Government and the six companies have also agreed to observe standard vertical clearance on the poles installed and provide monitoring teams to go around the city to check if all posts and wires have met safety standards.

Failure to comply with the agreement will force City Hall to revoke the business permits of the companies, the signed agreement stated.

The companies have been given until October 28 to comply with the agreement.

In a related development, Councilor Nestor Archival Sr. requested the Association of Barangay Councils to make an inventory of unused overhead wires and dilapidated posts in all the barangays to provide the utility firms necessary information.