DAVAO City Councilor Conrado Baluran, chair of the Committee on Transportation and Communication, said that they are putting premium on the constant coordination of different stakeholders to fast track the completion of underground cabling in the city's main streets.
Baluran acknowledged the fact that the city has become a known tourist destination and the project would help transform the city and be aesthetically attractive in response to the rising demands of development.
"Ato na siyang paspasan pero ang atong ginafocus kaning mga main streets, Claveria, Magallanes para mahan-ay gyud ang atoang mga connections, wala nay mag bitay-bitay then later on mag adto napod ta sa mga atong surrounding barangays (We are focusing on the main streets to organize connections so there will be no more overhead wires. After that, we will proceed to other villages)," Baluran said.
Ordinance No. 0152 series of 2017, which requires all telecommunication companies and Davao Light and Power Company to comply with underground cabling plan within the city streets, is set to be completed by 2020 that will cover C.M. Recto St., Ramon Magsaysay Avenue and Quirino Avenue. Companies will be facing penalties should they fail to comply with this.
It can be recalled that the first phase of the underground cabling project was completed last March 2016, which covered the vicinity of Davao City Hall up to the Sangguniang Panlungsod Building along San Pedro Street.
Baluran said that he had called on concerned agencies including the telecommunication companies, Davao City Water District (DCWD), DLPC, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to forge cooperation in implementing their respective projects.
"(This aims to have) close coordination when it comes to excavation kay kung mag excavate ang Davao Light karong bulana nahuman, the following two to three months, nag excavate napod ang Water District in the same place, karon dili nana pwede (If DLPC excavates and finishes this month then after two to three months DCWD digs in the same area, that's no longer permitted)," he said.
He added that these agencies could no longer dig or excavate without informing other agencies to avoid duplication. (JCR)