An official of Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) told Edge Davao that San Pedro Street in Davao City is expected to be free from overhead electrical and telecommunication wires by the first quarter of 2023.
Fermin P. Edillon, head of the Reputation Enhancement Department of DLPC, said underground cabling project in San Pedro Street is already at 60 percent overall completion after the ground excavation and conduit or pipe laying and road restoration were done.
“Steel structure installation and the electrical and fiber optic installation works are ongoing. The next works will be on the electrical and infracomm works where the cables will be placed underground,” he said.
Edillon said DLPC is now implementing phase 2 of the project where both San Pedro Street and a portion of R. Magsaysay Avenue are part of it.
“This is after the completion of phase 1 in C.M. Recto Avenue last August 2021.
He added that the Ramon Magsaysay Avenue works are expected to commence by the second or third week of June 2022.
“Currently, we are in final coordination with telecommunication companies and the LGU for the work to commence this June 2022,” he said.
Road markings from the Philippine Postal Office to the corner Suazo Street were already done by DLPC in preparation for the initial works and guide for the excavation team.
A project by the city government of Davao led by the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), the Underground Distribution System Project as mandated by City Ordinance 0152-17, Series of 2017 mandates the conversion of overhead lines to an underground system, wherein DLPC is one of the participating utility companies to implement the project.
The ordinance also mandates public telecommunication carriers servicing the city, including but not limited to other persons constructing, maintaining, and installing aerial wires and cables shall place all the wires and cables underground as stated in Section 5.
The first of five phases of the project was the underground cabling in C.M. Recto Avenue, which began in 2018 with the second phase covered from the City Hall Drive to the corner of Quirino Avenue.
Meanwhile, Edillon said that the project implementation has also encountered numerous challenges such as the limitation on movement brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, issues on road right of way (ROW), weather conditions, work schedule limitations to manage traffic (allowed only to work at night starting 8 p.m.), and delayed delivery of overseas procured materials (pandemic-related).
