The Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) announced that it has already accomplished 50 percent of the second phase of the R. Magsaysay Avenue Underground Cabling Project (UCP) from Suazo Street to the Unity Archway at the junction of R. Magsaysay Avenue and Quezon Boulevard in Davao City.
The Magsaysay Avenue UCP has two phases — Phase 1 is from the Davao City Central Post Office to the regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Suazo Street, while Phase 2 is from BFAR 11 office to the Unity Archway.
Fermin Edillon, head of the Reputation Enhancement Department of Davao Light, reported on Wednesday that the electric utility company has completed the first phase of the R. Magsaysay UCP and the clearing of utility poles and discarded cables from post office to Suazo Street was also completed last Sunday.
“We would like to inform everybody na successful ang first part na implementation sa underground cabling project dinha sa R. Magsaysay Avenue. Ang first part sa full blast implementation covers sa pag remove sa mga wires as well as sa mga poste dinha sa R. Magsaysay tung Sunday. Limpyo na ug nindot na tan-awon though naa pa’y i-install like streetlights para masugaan tung dalan,” Edillon said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.
Edillon said Davao Light is hopeful to finish the implementation of R. Magsaysay Avenue UCP by December this year.
Through City Ordinance No.0152-17, Series of 2017, all telecommunication companies, Davao Light, and all other persons involved are mandated to convert overhead lines to an underground system.
The project aims to make the city visually appealing with safer main city roads.
“Ordinansa ni sa city government nga nagmando sa mga utility companies nga ipanaog ang overhead lines didto sa ilaom sa yuta. Usa lang mi sa mga nag-implement niana,” Edillon said.
The UCP is mandated by Ordinance No. 0177-14 Series of 2014, which initially covered the vicinity of City Hall and the Sangguniang Panlungsod building.
In March 2023, Davao Light completed and inaugurated a wire-free San Pedro Street. The second of the five phases of the entire Davao City UCP, the San Pedro UCP spans 0.6 kilometers. It stretches from the City Hall to Quirino Avenue.
Four months later, the city government of Davao and the Davao Light broke ground on the second phase of the UCP along R. Magsaysay Avenue.
