Calls for “spaghetti wires” to be removed in the metro and other areas appeared online after the Manila city government and an electric distributor company began untangling overhead cables in the city.
The Manila local government unit (LGU) and Meralco paired up to fulfill the city’s initiative to remove “spaghetti wires” as part of its mayor’s city revitalization campaign.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Wednesday, July 9 said they have coordinated with the power distributor to fix the tangled overhead cables in the city, adding that only functioning wires should be displayed.
“All those telcos [telecommunication company] or any other services na gagamitin ang Meralco, hindi na po kayo maaaring magkabit. Simula last week, sinabi ko na ito kay City Engineer Armand Andres at City Electrician Engr. Randy Sadac,” he said in a Facebook post.
“These telcos understand very well kung ano lang dapat ang nakasampay d’yan. Ang ginawa ko, as a matter of policy, it is now Meralco who will say yes or no kung kayo ay makapaglalatag sa poste ng Meralco,” Moreno added.
He remarked that coordination between the public and private sectors will lead to a more “pleasant” Manila.
“Again, salamat po sa Meralco — sa kanilang kooperasyon at pakikipagtulungan sa inyong pamahalaang lungsod,” the mayor said.
Meralco said the initiative is also part of its “Anti-Urban Blight Program” aimed at ensuring public safety.
“Isa-isang sinuyod ng mga crew ng Meralco ang mga poste sa Binondo at pinagtatanggal ang mga hindi na ginagamit at ilegal na kable na nakakabit sa mga poste ng kuryente,” it said in a Facebook post.
The company also said that its personnel have similarly untangled the “spaghetti wires.”
Meralco Vice President and spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said the safety of the public is important, adding that it will not stop its maintenance activities and wire-clearing operations along with LGUs.
Drive all over the metro?
The wire-clearing drive impressed Filipinos, with some hoping it would extend to other cities in Metro Manila which have similar problems of “spaghetti wires.”
“It’s about time that all spaghetti wires around Metro Manila be cleared,” a Facebook user commented.
“It should be all NCR,” another user commented, referring to the National Capital Region.
“Dapat sa ibang alkalde rin sa Metro Manila magpatupad ng ganyang policy,” said another Pinoy.
“Not only to Manila, all over the Philippines,” commented a different user.
Others hoped that telcos would be more proactive in removing overhead wires that are already defunct or no longer in use.
“Sana lang pati mga telephone company at iba pang ahensya ng mga telecommunications e, pagtatanggalin ‘yung mga cable nila, mga hindi na ginagamit,” a Facebook user said.
Last March, CNN International anchor Richard Quest noticed the country’s “spaghetti wires” in Mandaluyong City and wondered “how on earth does it all work.”
Meanwhile, issues with tangled overhead cables in the metro have persisted for a long time.
Last November, Meralco said it was looking to install its power cables underground to address the issue of “spaghetti wires” and improve storm resiliency.
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