No Kidding!

There is a lot of work to be done in the Philippines to make it a functional nation. Many of these things are very obvious. Hence the title of this article, "No Kidding!"

First a rather astute observation from the Office of Civil Defense. Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno says the building code must be strictly implemented. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1243449

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno reiterated his call for a more stringent enforcement of the National Building Code and the cessation of construction in prohibited areas of the country, to greatly enhance the Philippines' earthquake preparedness.

In a statement Wednesday, Nepomuceno said these steps are crucial in mitigating the impact of the "Big One" or the anticipated 7.2 magnitude that could devastate Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, potentially resulting in 30,000 to 50,000 fatalities.

“We have sufficient laws in place regarding the Building Code, but the challenge lies in their implementation,” Nepomuceno said.

He also stressed the importance of avoiding construction works in prohibited or restricted areas which have been identified as vulnerable to hazards based on scientific assessments.

The OCD chief also highlighted that while safety tips and earthquake drills are vital for promoting disaster resilience, its effectiveness diminishes if the structures in which people reside are inadequately built.

“The ‘duck, cover, and hold’ exercise is important, but we must also adopt proactive measures,” he said, noting that this approach is reactive. "We need to ensure that our buildings and facilities can withstand significant earthquakes.”

The OCD chief earlier expressed concern that the Philippines is currently not adequately prepared for the "Big One."

He pointed out that the West Valley Fault, which has not experienced a major earthquake since 1658 -- 366 years ago -- is due for movement.

“The West Valley Fault system is just one of six active fault systems in the country,” he warned.

Buildings need to be able to withstand earthquakes? No kidding! But we all know structures in the Philippines are plagued with substandard materials. He says the challenge lies in implementing the building code but really the challenge is making anyone care enough to implement the code. Without a will there is no way. 

The second moment of clarity is from the DepEd and National Electrification Administration who both say it is imperative schools are hooked up to the electric grid. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1243443

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday partnered with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to electrify last mile schools in the country.

In a speech, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara underscored the urgency to secure the partnership to ensure the learner’s welfare amid the Marcos administration’s electrification programs for off-grid schools.

“Now power is a basic (need), if we don’t have power, we are nothing. That’s why what we are granting today is not just electricity, not just light, but we are giving hope to our fellow countrymen,” he said ahead of the signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NEA.

Angara earlier said there are around 1,500 public schools that still need access to electricity.

Most of these schools are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the provinces of North Cotabato, Palawan, Cebu, Zamboanga del Sur, and Negros Oriental.

Under the MOA, the DepEd will release funds from its electrification of off-grid schools project, while NEA will design solar power systems to be procured considering parameters and specifications needed for last mile schools.

The DepEd has around PHP1.295 billion in funds for the electrification project, particularly for the purchase and installation of solar power systems.

For his part, NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said electrifying off-grid public schools is a “minimum” requirement to ensure modernized quality education.

“The digital age has introduced modern ways of learning and teaching which are heavily reliant on access to electricity. Our schools ideally must have electricity for access to modern teaching tools like the internet,” he said in a separate speech.

“It is, however, obvious that not all public schools, particularly our last mile schools, have the same access to electricity. This is a disservice to our learners and hardworking teachers,” he added.

Energy Secretary Rafael Popo Lotilla, who witnessed the MOA signing, expressed full support for the administration’s interagency partnerships.

“The signing of this agreement is the very demonstration of our shared resolve to illuminate every classroom, help every teacher, and unlock the full potential of our learners,” he said.

Lotilla, however, said the country needs around PHP85 billion to PHP100 billion funds to achieve the administration’s electrification targets by 2028, benefitting not only the household levels but also schools.

“But as of this, the average budget has only been PHP2 (billion) to PHP3 billion a year, and therefore, we have a long way to go. So we are looking at ways and means to achieve the total electrification goal,” he said.

Power is a basic need in the Year of Our Lord 2025? No kidding! It is rather sad that there are communities which are not connected to the grid at this late date. Even so children have been learning for millennia without relying on electricity. There is a bigger problem at hand if lack of electricity is holding back Filipino students.

Another Preventable "Tragedy" That is Actually A Crime

Recently 15 Boy Scouts were electrocuted when the tent they were moving accidentally touched a live wire. Three of them died and 12 others were hurt.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/12/3-boy-scouts-electrocuted-to-death-in-zamboanga-city

Three Boy Scouts were killed and 12 others were injured when the tent they were transferring touched a live wire during a jamboree at Abong Abong Park in Barangay Pasonanca here on Thursday, Dec. 12.

The incident happened prior to the Philippine Boy Scouts Jamboree opening program where around 2,000 scouts from various elementary and high schools were gathered.

Mayor John Dalipe here ordered the cancellation of the activity from Dec. 12 to 15 to ensure the safety of remaining scouts and other participants.

Investigation disclosed that a group of Boy Scouts were ordered by one of the organizers to transfer the tent to the site of the program.

They were moving the tent when one of the metal pipes touched a low-lying electric wire, resulting in the electrocution of the victims aged nine to 22.

Police assisted the victims.

Three died and nine were brought to the Zamboanga City Medical Center by an ambulance of  the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office. Three sustained minor injuries.

What a tragedy, right?

Wrong.

The prevalence of low hanging electric wires across the Philippines posing danger to the whole of society is astounding. How this situation is allowed to exist is mind-boggling. It's like LGUs do not care about the people because if they did they would make sure these wires were PERMANENTLY cleaned up and not just during some one-time-big-time operation. It's all about a culture of safety which the Philippines is sorely lacking in every facet of society.

The death of three Boy Scouts because of the negligence of the electric company is NOT a tragedy. It is   A CRIME! Whoever owns those wires should be charged accordingly. 

Of course this situation is being painted as a tragedy and the Bureau of Fire Protection is one more warning electric companies to clean up their wires. 

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2024/12/13/bfp-reiterates-appeal-to-electric-companies-fix-your-spaghetti-wires-1712

The Bureau of Fire Protection reiterates its appeal to electric cooperatives to fix their wires in communities to prevent accidents like electrocution. 

This, following the death of three teenagers in Zamboanga City during a city-wide Boy Scout Jamboree last week.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Fire Senior Inspector Gabriel Solano, acting chief of the Civil Relations Service of the the Bureau of Fire Protection, said it is incorrect to assume that wires dangling overhead are just telephone and cable TV lines.

Some of them are in fact, live.

While some of them have insulators, it is highly likely that some of them are already exposed and may therefore pose a risk to the public.

(We don't know where there may be wear and tear. We don't know if rats have chewed through or if exposure to the elements has made them brittle. Chances are there already are some of the copper is already exposed)

It also wouldn’t be wise to get into contact with them by using other objects that are perceived to be non-conductors of electricity.

“Everything can be a conductor of electricity given a combination of two things, water and salt. Sabihin natin kahit kahoy 'yan (Even, for example, wood), it can conduct electricity given the moisture content," he said. 

Initial investigation showed that at least 15 boy scouts at the jamboree had been tasked to transfer a canopy, the tip of which accidentally touched a live wire, sending the scouts flying to the ground.

In a statement the Boy Scouts of the Philippines said it is working with authorities to investigate the incident and is ready to extend all forms of assistance to the victims and their families as well as to the survivors.

“We are also looking closely at the details of the incident in order to revisit and strengthen our existing policies and procedures on the conduct of Scouting activities,” the statement read.

It has also implemented a moratorium on all outdoor scouting activities.  

“We are implementing a moratorium on all outdoor Scouting activities and encouraging our Local Councils to promote Scouting activities in controlled environments/settings. We will use this opportunity to equally capacitate our field Implementors in mainstreaming sound risk and safety management practices in Scouting.”

How many appeals need to be made before the Philippines is healed from the scourge of spaghetti wires? What is needed is the political will to start fining these companies hundreds of thousands of pesos every day until these dangerous low hanging death traps are cleared. Sadly that is never going to happen and more Filipinos will die from electrocution. 

Another Spaghetti Wire-Related Road Accident.

The dangerousness of low hanging spaghetti wires has manifested again this time in Manila. A truck ran into some wires causing two telephone posts to fall over. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/11/2-telco-posts-in-manila-fell-due-to-passing-truck

Two posts of a telecom company fell after a passing truck hit cables on Ronquillo Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila, Saturday morning, May 11, the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) said.

Due to the incident, authorities closed a portion of Ronquillo Street to motorists.

They advised motorists to take alternate routes.

Reports said the passing truck hit the cables, pulling down the two posts.  

MTPB chief Dennis Viaje said that linemen had been dispatched to the area to clean up the hanging cables.

Meanwhile, some telecom companies said they are willing to help replace the affected poles to restore the operation of the damaged lines. 

Well, thank goodness the telecom companies "are willing to help replace the affected poles to restore the operation of the damaged lines." After all, they are responsible for the wires and the poles. Thankfully no one was hurt but this accident is only one of many happening nationwide. Just this past February Senator Raffy Tulfo was pushing for an investigation into the prevalence of accidents caused by spaghetti wires. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1899998/raffy-tulfo-wants-probe-into-road-accidents-due-to-spaghetti-wires

Senator Raffy Tulfo has sought an investigation into the alarming surge in road accidents caused by hazardous dangling live cable wires over the streets, or the so-called spaghetti wires.

He filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 922, citing the receipt of several complaints through his public service program.

“Victims of accidents caused by live cable wire mishandling often face significant challenges in pursuing recourse against the negligent parties. The difficulties faced by these victims hinder their ability to seek justice and fair compensation for injuries, fatalities, and property damage resulting from such accidents,” Tulfo said in his resolution.

The senator emphasized the need to summon electric and telephone companies and other entities managing live cable wires.

He also noted the need to review the charter and mandate of certain government agencies, such as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Department of Public Works and Highways, as well as local government units, including city engineering offices and other similar offices and agencies, to ensure the proper discharge of their tasks to keep Filipinos safe.

In a privilege speech on January 31, Tulfo fumed over the nuisances caused by what he described as “black spaghetti wires.”

According to him, these “entangled, voluminous, and eyesore” cables pose a real danger to the public.

He also said in his speech that the wires appear to be mostly from utility companies involved in telecommunication, including internet service providers and electricity distributors.

How is it that everyone knows these dangling wires pose a danger to the public and yet nothing is done about them? Sure there have been clean-up drives in several cities but the mess remains. Officials act like nothing can be done about them but that is not the case. If you Google Philippines spaghetti wire clean up there are many articles about LGUs giving ultimatums to telecoms to get rid of the wires or else. Such threats may work briefly but more must be done. 

What will it take for anyone to really care about this issue? More accidents? Deaths? This issue of dangerous, dangling wires is one more reason why, despite the desire to be like Singapore, the Philippines remains far behind in terms of being a safe modern nation.

Children Steal Internet Cables

Children running amuck. Hanging cables causing problems. It's the hallmarks of Philippinefails. A barangay in Manila claims they lost internet connectivity because children, "youths," were stealing cables from utility poles. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/880229/barangay-in-manila-loses-internet-due-to-youths-stealing-cables-from-utility-pole/story/

A number of residents of a barangay in Manila have been left without internet connectivity after some of the youth in the area stole cables from a utility pole, which then fell into the street.

According to Barangay 410 Kagawad Froilan Dela Cruz, a utility pole—servicing local telecommunications firms—fell due to some of the youth in the area stealing cables. Some of the cables have been left lying on the street.

Prior to the incident, the barangay apprehended some six of the youth in the area, four of whom were minors and were since released. They were said to have been cutting the cables and selling them.

(There were some youths stealing the cable and when they cut the cables, they dangled. These were then pulled down further by passing cars.

We are among those still without internet. I have a child working from home.)

GMA Integrated News is still trying to reach out to the concerned telecommunication firm.

For its part, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) warned motorists to take caution in areas with hanging cables, even as it clarified that its poles are usually higher and thicker.

"We always tell the drivers of big vehicles, may they be a truck or any other huge vehicles plying the roads, to take caution," Meralco vice president and head of corporate communication Joe Zaldarriaga said.

So, these children pulled down cables causing them to dangle and passing cars pulled them down further? What kind of driver just mindlessly drives into low hanging electrical wires? 

The comment of Meralco vice president and head of corporate communication Joe Zaldarriaga is totally ridiculous. He admits they are constantly warning vehicles to be wary of low hanging wires. But there shouldn't be any low hanging wires!

Take note the "children" were selling these wires.  That means it's a whole ecosystem of theft. Who is stupid enough to believe these children were acting alone?

Two Boys Electrocuted by Hot Wires On the Same Day in Different Provinces

In the Philippines death by electrocution is quite common. Lineman get jolted on the job, families get zapped in their houses, and in one case a foreigner out for a walk on the beach took a wrong step onto a hot wire, or maybe not. 

Last week the decrepit Philippine power grid claimed the life of two boys on the same day. In the first case a boy was out bathing in the rain when a live wire fell from an electric post and onto the ground.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1778657/boy-dies-due-to-electrocution-in-samar

A 13-year-old boy died due to electrocution on Wednesday while bathing in the rain in Barangay Cagmanipis Norte, Tinambacan District, Calbayog City, Samar.

Eugine Gotido was enjoying the rain around 2:30 p.m. when a live wire from an electric post fell on the ground, according to his grandfather.

The boy, he said, did not notice the live wire which resulted in his electrocution and death.

The Samar Provincial Police Office received the report at 6:52 p.m. on Thursday, June 1.

In the second case a boy was on his way to school when he accidentally touched a live wire obstructing his way. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1778728/another-boy-dies-after-touching-live-wire-in-leyte

 A 6-year-old boy died from electrocution while on his way to school in Leyte town, Leyte on Thursday, June 1.

Reports from the local police showed that Edson Bismonte accidentally touched a live wire that was blocking his way about 7 a.m. in Sitio Camansilis, Barangay Palid I, Leyte.

The boy was with his sister, Eliza, 10, when the incident happened.

Eliza tried to help her younger brother by pulling his backpack but was thrown away due to the electric shock.

She asked for assistance from the nearby residents who helped rush the victim to the rural health unit but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

The management of the Leyeco V Electric Cooperative (Leyeco V), who owns the live wire that electrocuted the victim, has yet to issue a statement on the incident.

What could Leyeco V Electric Cooperative possibly say aside from offering blood money? They won't be held to account for that loose wire.

While fat cats and the National Grid Cooperation of the Philippines rake in huge dividends of money projects remain unfinished and wires across the nation pose a threat to everyone.  

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/870979/ngcp-grilled-after-records-show-up-to-99-of-annual-net-profits-go-to-dividends/story/

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Wednesday faced another round of grilling from the Senate energy committee after records showed that 75% to 99% of its annual profits went to dividends.

At the continuation of the investigation into NGCP’s operation, Senator Raffy Tulfo, panel chairman, asked the NGCP to disclose its income and dividends for years 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019 as he mentioned reports that the state grid corporation only allocates a minuscule amount of its revenues for redevelopment or reinvestments.

Tulfo took a swipe at  NGCP as he noted that in 2019 alone 75% of its income went to dividends; in 2017, 99% of its income went to the profit sharing; and in 2014, the amount of dividends is higher than the net income.

“Only in the Philippines na for profit ang transmission. It should not be for profit. Maliwanag pa sa sikat na araw nag-tumitib-tiba ‘yung mga may ari nito,” Tulfo said.

The entire grid needs an overhaul to make it safer. Don't expect that anytime soon or ever.

Dangerous Spaghetti Wires Are A Nationwide Problem

Much like electric poles blocking roads dangerous  spaghetti wires are a nationwide problem. While they are certainly less deadly than unmoved electric poles sitting squarely in the middle of roads they are unsightly and do pose potential problems. Several cites have begun the arduous task of untangling and removing those wires.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1188937

Some 44 tons of old and unused telecommunication (telco) wires mounted along the city’s major roads have been removed from July to November this year to clear the hazards and nuisance in public pathways, data of the Task Force Spaghetti Wires on Friday showed.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the “spaghetti” wires were brought to the stockyards of the telco companies and these can be endorsed to the city through a deed of donation.

The collected wires will be donated to the farmers in Barangay Alangilan to be used as trellises in vegetable production.

Last July, Benitez issued Executive Order (EO) No. 3 for the removal, clearing, and reorganizing of all “spaghetti” wires located in the main streets, sidewalks, alleys and public places.

44 tons of spaghetti wires have collected in five months. In Mandaue City 700 kilograms of spaghetti wires have been collected since September.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/475097/mandaue-city-collects-700-kilograms-of-dead-wires

About 700 kilograms of “dead” wires were collected from the wire clearing and bundling operation of Mandaue City and telecommunication companies.

Engineer Marivic Cabigas, head of the Department of General Services (DGS) on Wednesday, November 16, said that 9 mini dumptrucks of dead wires were collected since the start of the operation in September wherein each truckload weighs about 75 kilograms.

Engineer Lee Naya, DGS Building Maintenance, said that the wires were temporarily stored at the city’s old dump site in Barangay Umapad.

Assistant City Administrator Architect Florentino Nimor said that dangling wires in the city’s major intersections that were blocking the view of CCTV cameras were already cleared and bundled.

Nimor said their operation will now focus on the streets located at the city’s core.

Currently, they are clearing the dangling and spaghetti wires along A. Del Rosario St. and will be clearing the dangling wires along S.B Cabahug next.

Nimor said they may ask the telecommunication companies to possibly provide additional personnel to expedite the clearing operation.

The city government is providing most of the infrastructure support when it comes to equipment and logistics with boom trucks and assistance to ensure there will be no obstruction during the operation.

They mayor should not be considering to ask telecommunications companies to provide personnel. He should be DEMANDING that they do so and that they provide all equipment and cover the cost since these wires belong to them. It is Globe, PLDT, and other private companies who have left these unused wires to rot overhead. 

Cebu has been steadily clearing spaghetti wires since typhoon Odette hit. The goal is to remove all wires by December, 2022. Telecommunications companies say they will pitch in and help.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1943155/cebu/local-news/telcos-back-december-target-to-get-rid-of-spaghetti-wires

CEBU City Councilor Jerry Guardo said the challenge of Mayor Michael Rama to eradicate all “spaghetti wires” in the city by December is “doable,” and the country’s top telecommunication firms offered support to meet this goal.

During a meeting with the city’s Technical Infrastructure Committee on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022, Rama expressed his disappointment over the entangled wires that can still be seen in the city.

Rama himself had sustained a forehead injury after bumping into a dangling wire while walking, the City’s Public Information Office said.

Currently, there is only one team that handles the removal of the dangling and idle wires, he said.

Guardo added that to achieve Rama’s goal, two more teams will be deployed to cover the city’s northern, central and southern areas.

The councilor clarified that the city’s spaghetti wire eradication program started right after Typhoon Odette (Rai) hit Cebu on Dec. 16, 2021.

City Hall is not spending government funds on this initiative since the clearing operation is part of the telecommunication companies’ (telcos) corporate social responsibility.

In separate statements sent to SunStar Cebu Tuesday, PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom said they are coordinating and supporting the goal of the Cebu City Government to remove all spaghetti wires.

Cathy Yang, PLDT and Smart Corporate Communications Group head, said their company has been in constant coordination with the Cebu City Government to clean up dangling wires throughout the city.

Patrick Gloria, Globe’s director for external affairs-Visayas and Mindanao, said they support Rama’s timeline of removing all spaghetti wires by December 2022 to ensure public safety.

Gloria added that they would also like to call for a “concerted effort among key stakeholders, including all telco, electric and cable operators in the city to ensure the success of the mayor’s vision.”

Quennie Bronce, Visayan Electric’s reputation manager, said their electric wires do not contribute to the spaghetti wires.

To get a sense of how enormous this problem is in 2018 Cagayan de Oro removed 238 KILOMETERS of spaghetti wires. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057698

A total of 238 kilometers of dead wires and cables were untangled and cleaned up by the city's Task Force "Hapsay Kable (cables in order)" throughout the year of 2018 or an additional of 104 more kilometers since its last report in June.

According to Teodoro Buenavista Jr., vice chairperson of the Task Force and Regional Director of National Telecommunications Commission in Region 10 (NTC-10), there were also 69 poles that were "retired" and another 108 alley arms removed.

To put that in perspective that is roughly the distance from Manila to Baguio!

The unanswered question no one seems to want to ask is how did this happen? How did Globe and PLDT cause this nationwide problem? Through years of neglect. Even though these wires pose a grave threat to the public some people choose to ignore the danger.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/686406/tangled-wires-threat-to-safety-eyesore-in-some-parts-of-metro-manila/story/

The cable wires, many hanging loosely, from street posts pose as serious threats to the safety of pedestrians and residents in some parts of Metro Manila.

In an episode of GMA News TV's Brigada, Cesar Apolinario reported about the situation in Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Manila where electric cable wires are obstructing the way.

"Our residents here are really struggling because first of all, of course, the security of the people who live here, because it's like that, it's really low," said Rebecca Sanchez, a ward leader in the area.

The wires have gone down below their original installation height after some residents tampered with them when they encountered electrical problems, she added.

A 68-year-old carpenter living in the compound almost lost his life after the roof of the "kiliglig" vehicle he was riding got entangled with the drooping wires.

"The driver stopped because the electricity would be cut off. If he continued, the electricity would be cut off, we would be dead," the victim Roberto Aday said.

On the other hand, this danger does not seem to bother the residents of Barangay Damayang Lagi in Quezon City where convoluted electric cable wires also abound.

They casually hang their clothes on the wires.

"When we were hanging inside the house, there wasn't much sun, then when we cooked, we smelled what we were cooking, so why are we hanging here because it's sunny," resident Lorna Danes said.

Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga warned the public against this practice.

"Let's not do that, especially since we cannot mix electricity with water, so if the clothes are wet and you hang them, it's a live wire, you might have an accident. It's more likely than not, so let's just avoid it," he said.

Zaldarriaga also noted that not all these wires are from the electric company. Some, he said, are used for telecommunication, cable and internet connections.

"First of all, there is a difference in height. The Meralco lines stand alone 25 feet. Usually the attachments are around 15 feet, so you can really see the difference," he added.

Meanwhile, a concerned netizen also uploaded a video of a footbridge affected by the same problem.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) spokesperson Celine Pialago said the said overpass was supposed to be closed to the pedestrians due to pending removal of the wires.

Some people, however, have managed to illegally pass through it, she added.

Authorities have already taken action to make the footbridge safely passable.

Aside from posing threats to safety, the tangled wires also serve as "eyesores," according to urban planner, Architect Felino Palafox Jr.

"The cables, overhead wires, visual pollution, eyesore, it's not good to look at, so the urban landscape is destroyed. It's not safe because during storms and typhoons, they get cut, it falls to the ground, so sometimes it hits houses. It's really dangerous," he said.

He suggested the use of submarine quality cables that would be installed underground and could withstand flooding.

Palafox said that stronger political will of the national and local officials is needed to implement such a shift.

Some from the electric power industry, on the other hand, pointed out that this proposal would entail additional costs to customers.

"At the end of the day, you also have to be cognizant of what the consumers will be able to afford," Zaldarriaga said.

Installing all cables underground would effectively end the problem of dangling wires. However, in Cebu City such has been the law since 2001!

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1845650/cebu/local-news/imminent-danger-revives-call-to-untangle-spaghetti-wires

THE Cebu City Council has renewed its call for utility firms to get rid of dangling “spaghetti wires” along roads.

Councilor Antonio Cuenco delivered a privilege speech on the matter last Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020.

“I am alarmed that several electric posts with matching dangling spaghetti wires are hanging all over our city. Clearly, this is an imminent danger to public safety, an accident just waiting to happen,” said Cuenco.

The official wants to know why utility firms in the city still failed to comply with a local law requiring them to place underground all utility lines to address the problem.

City Ordinance (CO) 1894 approved on April 25, 2001 requires all public utilities to transfer their overhead utility cables underground. It was penned by Councilor Nestor Archival.

CO 1894 provides for the medium-term objective of implementation of the underground installation of utility lines five years after the approval of the law. The long-term objective is the mandatory grounding of all utility lines within 10 years after approval of the ordinance.

The same ordinance penalizes the president and/or general manager of the company that violates its provisions. The year 2012 marked the 10th year of the local law.

Spaghetti wires along roads, though, remain an “eyesore” nearly two decades since the passage of the legislation.

Archival said because utility firms failed to comply, former mayor Tomas Osmeña introduced a color-coding scheme instead to address the problem of unsightly, dangling wires.

The scheme was established as a temporary solution, which allowed utility firms to fix tangled wires immediately since the cables’ colored tags made it easier for them to identify.

What is the good of having laws no one will follow or enforce? Instead of introducing a color coding scheme Osmeña should have begun fining companies whose wires remain overhead in defiance of the law. Much more than political will is needed to solve this problem. Telecommunication firms need to realize their obligation towards the public and implement safety practices which would entail removing dead wires. But we all know that's not going to happen. Even if Cebu does remove all the dead wires by December, without true reform they will only be facing the same problem in a few years. Same for Bacolod and Manduae. 

Across the Philippines Electric Poles Blocking Roads Are Killing People

Electrical poles in the Philippines are not just an unsightly mess, they are also quite deadly.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1188329

At least 8,736 electric poles are blocking widened roads in Eastern Visayas, posing danger to motorists, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office here.

The relocation of these poles requires P562.84 million in funds.

Of the proposed budget, only PHP48.93 million have been released from 2020 to 2021, said DPWH regional information officer, Cressida Paula Mangaporo, in a phone interview on Friday.

“We are still waiting for the release of funds requested for 2022. It’s not easy to get funds since there are other regions with pending requests to remove electric poles,” Mangaporo told the Philippine News Agency.

The official said the regional office expects more releases in 2023 since they have been making regular follow-ups to download the budget.

Of the 8,736 poles, 3,543 are in Samar province; 2,287 in Leyte; 1,656 in Northern Samar; 568 in this city; 518 in Southern Leyte; and 164 in Eastern Samar.

Leyte III Electric Cooperative (EC) general manager Allan Laniba, president of the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives, said they have been requesting funds for the relocation of posts in the past four years.

“We submit(ted) all needed documents, and this has been discussed in budget hearings in the House of Representatives. We don’t have budget to relocate these poles. We installed these posts years before the road widening project,” Laniba said in a phone interview.

He pointed out that the posts should have been removed before the road widening since it is more costly to relocate poles after concreting.

“It is very illogical for engineers to concrete the road if there are still poles there,” Laniba added.

Mangaporo said the problem of unmoved posts will not be encountered in the new project since road widening projects that started in 2020 have already included funds for the relocation of affected electric poles.

Isn't that great? Road widening projects which began in 2020 will include the funds to relocate electric poles. Why were these funds not included in previous projects? Why is it that the president of the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives clams they have been requesting these funds for four years and have been turned down every single time?

Will there be a Senate investigation? Don't count on it. Those clowns never want to investigate important problems that affect the entire nation. And yes, this is a nationwide concern. Note above that the regional DWPH director says the funds are hard to get because, "there are other regions with pending requests to remove electric poles." Even PNP officers have fallen victims to these poles. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1188236

A police officer died on Wednesday night after his motorcycle hit an electric post that has not been moved since road-widening activities were done along a primary highway in Sta. Fe, Leyte.

Police Staff Sgt. Gary Cabujoc was heading to the regional police office in Palo town from his hometown in Barugo when the accident happened in Pilit village in Sta. Fe town at about 8 p.m.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said in its report, which was shared with journalists on Thursday, that Cabujoc hit the pole due to poor visibility and a lack of warning signs in the area.

Cabujoc fell to the creek and was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The PNP admitted that there have been many reports of road accidents due to the unmoved electric posts.

Leyte III Electric Cooperative (EC) general manager Allan Laniba, in an interview, called for the implementation of the Department of Energy – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) joint circular signed in 2017, prescribing the uniform guidelines and procedures for the relocation of EC distribution/sub-transmission lines, and the proper payment of the costs involved.

“There should be a just compensation for every pole to be removed. We discussed everything (with) DPWH and we’re still waiting for funds in the past four years. I don’t understand why the DPWH and contractors widened the road with the electric poles still there. This is a nationwide concern,” said Laniba, president of the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives.

DPWH regional information officer Cressida Paula Mangaporo said they have been making regular follow-ups with their main office to finance the relocation of electric poles away from the widened road.

“We have been sending request and reiteration letters to our central office to download funds for poles relocation. For Leyte 1st District, which covers the town of Sta. Fe, our central office will download PHP39 million next year,” Mangaporo said in a phone interview.

In Leyte’s first congressional district alone, 535 electric poles should be removed from widened roads, according to the DPWH.

Allan Laniba, president of the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives,  claims he does not "understand why the DPWH and contractors widened the road with the electric poles still there." Maybe that's because he is the rare honest bureaucrat who cannot comprehend the corruption rampant in the DPWH?

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/31/pacc-names-most-problematic-agencies-corruption.html

The DPWH wins the distinction of being most corrupt agency every single year. Just Google "DPWH most corrupt" and see their many awards going back years. 

I have written about this issue of electric poles being in the middle of the road before back in 2019. I even took a video. 

Who is the genius engineer which planned and designed this road? What a waste of resources, work, man hours, money!  This section of newly widened road is absolutely useless. No vehicles can use it lest they crash into a electric pole. I am completely baffled as to the stupidity that went into designing, planning, and constructing this road right around these electric poles. Did they not take the poles into account? The DPWH should be held accountable for this major mess up.

The video speaks for itself and is below. Enjoy!

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2019/06/new-road-built-entirely-around-electric.html 

There is absolutely no way this problem which is a "nationwide concern" will be solved anytime soon. Keep in mind that these two articles are a snapshot of the larger problem. If there are 8,736 electric poles blocking the road in the Eastern Visayas alone just imagine the magnitude of the situation. And it's all because the DPWH is so corrupt that they can't perform their job correctly. How many more people will die before these poles are removed?

Picture of the Day: Electric Crucifix

The electrical system in the Philippines is awful. Power goes on and off at a moments notice. In fact you could say it is a cross that the public must bear!

Oh, this is real. This is in the Philippines. This EXISTS!! And it's not the only one of its kind. Contemplate that the next time you turn on your lights! With tangled messes like this all over it's a wonder the whole grid does not explode.

Burning Electrical Wires

I was out for an afternoon run when the sky darkened and I knew I had to return home quickly before the downpour began. On the way back I saw smoke emanating from the sugarcane fields ahead and I figured they were simply burning the fields as is normally done after a harvest. But the closer I got I could tell something was off.

For one thing the smoke was thick and black much unlike the smoke of a burning sugarcane field which is thin and gray. For another thing the smoke was concentrated in one area. It was obvious someone was burning something they should not be burning. When I finally got a look at the burn pile I was shocked beyond belief.

They were burning a jumble of electrical cords! 

There was a man sitting in a truck and a guy who seemed to be about 14 or 15 tending the fire. I asked him why he was burning electrical cords. He said because he was poor and his family did not have money to pay for his tuition. I asked if someone paid him to burn these cords. He said no. That did not make any sense so I pressed for more information but to no avail.

He also apologized profusely and killed the fire by tossing water on it. 

I was sure they would dump the charred wires in the field but when I returned a few hours later there was nothing but a pile of ash.

The guy in the truck never said a word to me as I talked to his son. I presume that is their relationship, unless he was the one paying the guy to burn the cords.

Anyway, this incident was very bizarre and I was completely disgusted. This is not just burning leaves or garbage at your house. These two people drove off to what they thought was a secluded area, it is not, and illegally and foolishly burned a huge mass of electrical wires. And it's really not about the law. No one in the Philippines cares about the law anyway. These people would not have been fined or jailed even if the PNP had witnessed their crime. The point is the ethics of it. You just don't do this. You do not burn electrical wires out in a sugar cane field. If you don't understand that then you are a lost cause. Allow me to present to you the shopping cart test of civilization which works on the same principles.

Can you pass this test?

Overloaded Sugarcane Truck Stuck In Low-Hanging Power Lines

 The title of this post says it all. Check out this beauty. What a beast! 

Lets look a little closer shall we?

One more angle ought to show the whole picture.

Can you tell that it's only two or three stalks holding up the line?

This is really all it takes to hold up traffic and make you look stupid. I know they overload these trucks for expediency's sake but that is no excuse. There is also no excuse for power lines to be this low.  You can see in the third picture there is a beer truck barely making clearance. There are actually many large trucks which come barreling down this road and there are many power lines that are too low. It's a disaster waiting to happen. I am surprised it does not happen every day.