To prevent theft: Uniforms for line workers sought

Cebu City Councilor Gabriel Leyson plans to impose sanctions against utility companies whose service crews do not wear uniforms or IDs when working on utility posts.

In his proposed ordinance, Leyson, who heads the committee on public works, said the move was made after increasing incidents of tampering, damaging and power pilfering by unscrupulous technical crew.

The ordinance, which was approved on the first reading, is now pending before the committee on laws and ordinance for review and recommendation.

The proposed ordinance said to deter theft service crews of utility companies, whether organic personnel of a utility company or service crew of contractor companies, should be required to wear uniforms and IDs when servicing lines.

The proposed ordinance also said service crews of contractors must put up signs to notify companies whose lines they are servicing.

Violation of the ordinance will be punished with a penalty of P2,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense and P5,000 and suspension of the erring utility company's business permit for the third offense.

Concerned residents living in barangay Tejero supported the move of Leyson saying that there was an incident when men came to "inspect" a cable TV wire and later stole it.

Last month, the head of street lighting division Felicito Josol reported that since March the accessories of a number of center islands and skywalks were stolen in Fuente Osmeña, Mabolo, Pahina Central, Mambaling and Labangon.

Pilfered wires and sodium 150-watt sodium lamps were also stolen from the center islands of Juan Luna Avenue, N. Bacalso Avenue, STI Skywalk of N. Bacalso, and two skywalks along Osmeña Boulevard.

Council chairman on public services Edwin Jagmoc already requested the barangay captains and the city police to work in tandem to prevent these thefts from happening. - Garry B. Lao