Expanded roads to be cleared of electric poles

THOSE electric posts jutting out of newly expanded roads in Baguio City and in Benguet will soon be a thing of the past after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) set the guidelines for the relocation of electric poles suddenly jutting out of newly widened roads.

The two public service agencies signed Joint Circular No. 01, series of 2017 which set the guidelines and procedures for the proper payment of compensation and/or recovery in the event of the need to relocate the electric cooperative distribution/sub-transmission lines for the primary purpose of the government.

"We have decided to already relocate the poles in major road pending the completion of an inventory of poles and the execution of an agreement with DPWH," said Beneco general manager Gerardo Verzosa.

Among those to be cleared of electric poles is the stretch of the Virginia Romulo Drive leading to Pacdal which was expanded by the DPWH two years ago by converting the pedestrian into a part of the road.

The DPWH, however, did not include in the road expansion project the cost of relocating the electric poles which used to be on the sidewalk. The narrowing of the sidewalk to give way to cars also drew criticism from residents who said "Baguio was made for people, not for cars".

"The Americans who built the city established sidewalks because it's pleasant to walk in Baguio, unlike in other parts of the Philippines where the weather is hot", a resident noted.

Sadly, however, several of the city's sidewalks have been encroached upon by buildings and walls of private residences or are used for stalls, auto repair shops and vehicle parking.

The agreement noted that BENECO would be paid for the relocation of electric poles which were installed on sidewalks before the walkways fir expanded. Also published at Baguio Sunstar