AND BEFORE you have mouthwatering visions of these delectable pasta dishes – Spaghetti alla Puttanesca or Spaghetti Pomodoro – I’m sorry to disappoint you. We’re not talking about that or food. Far from it really.
For decades “I Am Iloilo City” was plagued with these unsightly and potentially dangerous “spaghetti wires” crisscrossing Calle Real and other main streets with seemingly nothing done to remedy this problem.
Why they’re being called “spaghetti” wires is probably their resemblance to cooked pasta intertwined with each other.
The problem actually started and escalated during the watch of the previous power distribution utility when proper service, aesthetics and safety plays a far secondary to profit.
These “spaghetti” wires are not only unsightly but potentially dangerous, causing pole fires that can spread to nearby buildings and other dangerous accidents i.e. when these wires break and are exposed then hits and electrocutes an innocent passerby.
That is until the major players of the public utilities provider of “I Am Iloilo City” i.e. Smart and Globe Communications, PLDT, Sky Cable, Converge, Panay Broadband, and MORE Power together with the Iloilo City government met to discuss specifically the problem of these “spaghetti wires” and what should be done about them.
The meeting resulted into the organization of (the) Public Utilities Group of Iloilo (PUGI), which lists as members all the major players in the city’s public utility business.
And this initial meeting was a year ago, fast forward to last Thursday’s meeting:
Excerpts from a July 28, 2022 article from Panay News;
Underground electric wires in Iloilo City eyed
Underground power distribution system or underground electric wires are being mulled in this southern city.
According to the Mayor Jerry Treñas, the city’s sole power distributor, MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), will undertake the project.
In partnership with MORE Power and Task Force PUGI, Treñas said the initiative will help level up tourism in the metro.
One of the areas where the underground distribution system will be undertaken is Calle Real in the City Proper.
The city government earlier conducted a meeting with MORE Power headed by its president and chief executive officer Roel Castro together with telecommunication companies (telcos) and Task Force PUGI regarding the project.
“Gina-istoryahan namon nga magasto ang MORE, ang telcos ma-arkila nalang sang linya sang MORE,” said Treñas.
According to Mayor Treñas, once the design is complete, final cost and agreements with the TELCOS, it will then need the approval of the ERC or the Energy Regulatory Commission and once approve then the project will start.
The meeting with PUGI or the Public Utilities Group of Iloilo was chaired by Councilor Rommel Duron, the head of the Committee on Public Utilities.
For that meeting to even take place, two resolutions have to be passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod – Resolutions number 2022-493 and 2022-583 both requesting MORE Power to carry out the implementation of the underground installation of wirings covering the entire stretch of Calle Real and the four major plazas in Iloilo City.
Once this project will commence, these are the initial areas to be cleared of the unsightly “spaghetti” wires and will then be placed underground: Plaza Libertad, the whole stretch of Calle Real, Sunburst Park and Freedom Grandstand, the four major plazas namely; Jaro Plaza, Molo Plaza, Mandurriao Plaza and Lapaz Plaza.
Of course, the main bulk of the work on this project falls on MORE Power considering that amongst the members of PUGI, they have the technical equipment, manpower and resources.
According to Engineer Bailey del Castillo MORE Power’s Deputy Head on Network Operations, the underground cabling system in total will cost P150.7 million.
No offense meant to the residents and natives of Villa/Arevalo District but I’m guessing here that your plaza is not considered a major plaza and does not qualify for an underground electric wires makeover yet.
But that’s not taking anything away from this project. It will be good for “I Am Iloilo City” not only tourism wise. It will further enhance the aesthetics of Calle Real.
I’m quite certain that these places mentioned who will be the pioneer in the “spaghetti” clearing and the “underground movement” is just a start and eventually the rest of “I Am Iloilo City” will be included.
As Mayor Jerry Treñas often says, MORE Power is not just a power distribution utility but a reliable partner for the development of the city.”/PN
