By Alena Mae S. Flores – August 18, 2023, 9:45 pm
from manilastandard.net
DAVAO CITY—Davao Light & Power Company Inc. said Friday it working to complete the city’s underground cabling project to get rid of messy overhead wires by 2029.
The move is in compliance with the directive of the city government of Davao.
Davao Light, a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., together with the local government unit and project partners from telecommunications, cable and internet companies, completed the second phase of the initiative early this year.
Underground cabling, a rarity in the Philippines, harnesses innovation to maximize the health, safety and economic development of businesses and communities.
The absence of unruly overhead wires and invasive poles makes the city more visually attractive to local and foreign tourists, while walkways become more spacious.
Power pilferage, or electricity theft, is also prevented.
Davao Light said another long-term impact of underground cabling is the less incidence of emergency power interruptions and mitigation of fire hazards, accidents and safety risks, as electric wires are now placed underground.
This will improve customer service and strengthen the resilience and reliability of Davao Light’s power distribution network.
The first phase covered C.M. Recto Street from San Pedro Street to Ramon Magsaysay Ave., while the second phase comprised 0.6 kilometers of San Pedro Street from City Hall Drive to Quirino Ave.
The first phase began construction in 2018 and was finished in 2021 with the removal of power lines, distribution transformers and 64 poles.
The second phase started in March 2021 and was completed on Feb. 19, 2023, with the removal of its overhead lines and 50 poles.
The first part of phase three on R. Magsaysay Ave., covering the Philippine Post Office to the corner of Suazo St., is still ongoing with 51-percent overall completion and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024.
Other streets down the pipeline subject to underground cabling are C. Bangoy Street, Pelayo Street, Bonifacio Street and Quirino Ave.
“Infrastructure development is one of our key priorities for the city, and this project will pave the way for more sustainable development around the central business district,” Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said.
“Having our wires and cables underground will not only enhance the city’s skyline, it will also make our streets safer for motorists and commuters, stabilize power and telecommunications services, and make the city more appealing to tourists and investors,” he said.
Davao Light engineers innovated a prefabricated manhole that lessens the construction and installation process of manholes from four to six weeks to just 48 hours, reducing the time consumed by road closures caused by the construction.
“The prefabricated manhole is Davao Light’s innovation to minimize public inconvenience and [the cost and timeframe] of the project implementation,” Davao Light project lead for the R. Magsaysay Avenue area Leo Remulta said.
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