Much like urban cities in the country, overhead wires crisscrossing the streets and thoroughfares can be unsightly messy, often considered as eyesores.
In 2014, the late Councilor Leonardo Avila passed an ordinance to fix the messy overhead wires in the city. Avila’s Ordinance Number 0177-14 entails placing electric, telecommunication and other utility overhead wires within the vicinity of the City Hall and the Sangguniang Panlungsod building to be placed underground.
Avila’s initiative, which was completed in 2016, would be the beginning of an ambitious project to place all overhead wires in the downtown area to be placed underground.
The City Ordinance 0152-17 series of 2017 requires all telecommunication companies, Davao Light and all other persons involved to convert overhead lines to an underground system.
The underground cabling project covers the whole central business district of Davao City and it will be done in five phases.
The first phase, which cost around P217 million, covers the 1.2-kilometer stretch of Claro M. Recto Street (formerly Claveria). It started in 2018 and was completed in 2021.
The second phase covered San Pedro Street. The 600-meter underground cabling project was completed in early 2023. This phase extended the earlier underground project implemented under Councilor Avila’s Ordinance.
“It’s safer, cleaner to look at ang atong street karon, gusto man sa LGU if not for the willingness of Davao Light and those that cooperated dili ni siya mahitabo (Our street is safer and cleaner to look at now,
the LGU would have wanted it but if not for the willingness of Davao Light and those that cooperated, it would not have been realized),” Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte said during the ceremonial switching held at San Pedro Street on March 2, 2023.
“The underground cabling project would not have been possible if not for the initiative of the local government of Davao City to create an internationally competitive image of Davao City,” said Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) president Engr. Roger Velasco during the ceremonial switching.
The third phase is being done at the Ramon Magsaysay Avenue (formerly Uyanguren Avenue), which is the location of the Davao City Chinatown District.
Part one of the third phase, which covers the stretch from Clifford Park to Suazo Street corner, is now at 56%. Part two had its groundbreaking on July 18. The segment covers 700 meters from Suazo Street up to the corner of Quezon Boulevard, thus covering the entire stretch of Ramon Magsaysay Avenue.
“As we work to complete this project, we are once again asking for the support of Dabawenyos regarding the possible traffic congestion in the area. Trust that we are doing all that we can to lessen the inconvenience experienced by commuters by conducting the major works during nighttime,” said Anton Mari Perdices, Senior Vice President of the AboitizPower Distribution Group, during the groundbreaking held at the Chinatown Arch, fronting Magsaysay Park.
“Magsaysay Park is the site of the City’s oldest business district and is home to the Dabawenyo Chinese community as such we anticipate the completion of the project in this area as this will enhance the landscape of the entire stretch of the avenue into a more conducive and aesthetically pleasing business center,” Mayor Duterte said in his message, which was read by City Administrator lawyer Mark Francis Layog during the groundbreaking.
The underground cabling system has long been adapted by progressive Southeast Asian cities such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Besides from being aesthetically pleasing, it is also safe as they are protected from natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic ashfall and other flying or falling debris. These cables are rigorously built to withstand floods as the connectors used are flood and water proof.
For compact urban areas, having underground cabling will free up precious spaces as compared to overhead wiring where poles take up space that could have been used for roads or sidewalks.
A model for PH cities
The underground cabling project has become a model for other Philippine cities and urban centers to emulate.
Fermin Edillon, DLPC Reputation Enhancement Department manager, said a team from the Department of Public Works and Highways DPWH)-National Capital Region (NCR) visited Davao City last year to look at the project and are eyeing to implement it in their area.
“As far as I know, they would want to implement this because for safety purposes, and they don’t want services to be interrupted in times of disaster, particularly typhoons," Edillon said.
The DPWH-NCR is eyeing the implementation of the underground cabling along the areas of EDSA and Katipunan Avenue Extension in Quezon City.
On March 21 to 22 of last year, the DPWH-NCR team visited Davao City to observe the implementation of the underground utility cabling system.
After the visit, the agency proposed a P200-million budget for 2023 to jumpstart the underground cabling project in the NCR.
The visiting team also learned the best practices done by Davao City in implementing the project. These included the legislation and imposition of ordinances requiring full participation of the concessionaires, and the creation of “Underground Utility Cabling Committee” that will constantly coordinate and meet for developments and issues in the implementation.
Aside from the DPWH-NCR team, other local government units have also visited Davao City to benchmark the underground cabling project, including the LGUs from Iligan City and Sorsogon City. (RGA/PIA Davao)
