ILOILO City –Telecommunications companies and Panay Electric Co. (PECO) have pooled their resources to remove redundant poles and “spaghetti” wires downtown.
“This is in line with the city mayor’s plan for Dinagyang…our priority for clearing are JM Basa and Iznart streets and the Muelle Loney area,” according to Marcelo Cacho, head of the Iloilo Utilities Group (IUG) that is composed of electric, cable and telecommunications companies that own the poles and wires.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said the performance routes of participating tribes in the January 2020 edition of Dinagyang Festival were priority areas in the road clearing operation of the city government targeting electric poles and dangling electricity, telephone and cable television wires.
In a letter to Executive Assistant for Power Engineer Randy Pastolero, Cacho, also the PECO administrative manager, listed the manpower complement from the power utility for pole relocation and tidying up of wires.
A total of 27 redundant poles (combined PECO and telcos) have already been removed and relocated between Dec. 4 to 10.
The IUG also tidied wires, electric meters and bundled as well as transferred blue boxes and street lights.
“Bisan sa manpower complement the telcos have also provided kay kalabanan sang bundling is on their side – their wires,” said Cacho.
Pastolero recently said an initial count showed 140 “stranded” poles for relocation and of these, 106 belonged to telcos while 34 to PECO.
On the part of PECO, Cacho said they provided two basket trucks, one boom truck and another one if needed, four personnel, and two line engineers.
On the other hand, Cable Star Iloilo made available four personnel; Globe Telecom had one boom truck and three personnel; Sky Cable Iloilo, two personnel; and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., four personnel.
“Sa PECO, some of the poles we are removing kon redundant, but mostly ang amon coordination lang with the telcos para makasaylo ang mga wires nila sa mga poste namon while at the same time bundling their wires. Para at least indi ma-bundle ang electric lines man bala kay amo man na problema last time nag cause sang pole fires — ang pag-bundle sang contractor nila sang ila electric wires and telco wires. At least bala coordinated ang tanan to clean up the downtown area,” said Cacho.
The clearing operation is part of the city government’s effort to “level up” the spectators’ Dinagyang Festival experience, said Mayor Treñas.
“We deserve a colorful and exciting celebration of our religion and rich culture,” he stressed.
Dinagyang is known for its participants’ impressive choreography and striking costumes that reflect Ilonggo ingenuity, craftsmanship and artistry. The highlight of the festival is on Jan. 26, 2020 – the tribes competition.
Non-functioning cable wires or dead wires would also be pulled out, said Cacho.
He expressed confidence that they could fully clear the downtown area before the Dinagyang 2020./PN
