Osmeña eyes color coding for utility wires

CEBU, Philippines - To better identify which owns a particular wire, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he plans to assign utility companies their own colors for their wires.

He said the city would cut all the black wires and each utility company would have to install its own color-coded wires.

"We'll clear it up and then if we see some wires that’s not properly installed we will know who it is by just looking at the color," the mayor said.

He also said that he already told PLDT Inc. to take the lead and change all of its wires, adding that that he would discuss it with PLDT Visayas head Jimmy Chua.

"I will let PLDT take the lead because 90 percent of dangling wires (in the city) are PLDT's, I believe," Osmeña said.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Head Nagiel Bañacia supported mayor's idea, saying his office has been receiving complaints against dangling wires that are a hazard to motorists.

There were also complaints on sparks from wire and loose wire that can entangle unsuspecting motorists or their trucks.

Bañacia also said there were instances when fire-trucks could not pass a certain street because of the dangling wires.

If the wires a color coded, he said, the barangay can immediately recognize the wires and bring it to the attention of the concerned utility company.

"We want to know… what specific utility company owns these dangling wires because in the past, it caused accidents and worse, even costing lives," Bañacia said.

"There will come a point that we (should) enact…ordinances for that," he added. — Micah Sophia C. Marcellones (FREEMAN)