The Davao Light and Power Company will commence the design planning next year for the next phase of the Underground Cabling Project (UCP) in Davao City, following the ongoing second phase along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue.
Enriczar Tia, President and Chief Operating Officer of Davao Light, revealed on Friday that the next phase of the UCP will cover Ponciano and Pelayo Streets.
“For underground cabling, according to the ordinance, the next phase will be Ponciano and Pelayo Streets. We will probably start the design planning stage by next year, including the coordination,” Tia said during the Business Matters media forum at Hukad, Ayala Malls Abreeza.
Tia added that Quirino Avenue will follow after Ponciano and Pelayo Streets.
“Quirino will be a challenge because of islands and traffic. I think that would complete the whole phase according to the ordinance,” Tia explained.
Davao Light has already completed Phase 1 of the Ramon Magsaysay Avenue UCP, spanning from the Davao City Central Post Office to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR 11) regional office on Chavez Street.
The Ramon Magsaysay Avenue UCP has two phases: Phase 1, from the Davao City Central Post Office to the BFAR 11 office on Chavez Street, has been completed; Phase 2, stretching from the BFAR 11 office to the Unity Archway at the junction of Ramon Magsaysay Avenue and Quezon Boulevard, is currently in progress.
“It’s already completed right now; Phase 2 is also ongoing all the way to Magsaysay Park. We hope to complete that by September, but this segment is already done, and we hope to inaugurate it sometime soon,” Tia shared.
Tia noted that the Ramon Magsaysay phase is 1.2 kilometers long, with approximately 600 meters already finished.
“You can expect the whole stretch of Ramon Magsaysay Avenue to be completed this year,” he said.
City Ordinance No. 0152-17, Series of 2017, mandates all telecommunication companies, Davao Light, and other stakeholders to convert overhead lines into an underground system.
The project aims to enhance the city’s visual appeal and improve the safety of major city roads.
“This project is spearheaded by the city government of Davao, with participation from Davao Light and telecommunications companies. We are just a major player here and are coordinating with the different telcos, but this accomplishment is not solely Davao Light’s; it also involves the various telcos that implemented the project alongside us. Phase 1 is completed and energized; we have already removed the poles, customers have migrated to the underground cabling, and preparations are underway for the next phase,” Tia stated.
