Telcos, power distributors now required to install cables 18 ft. from ground

THE Cebu City Government will now require telecommunication firms to elevate their cable wires and lines to 18 feet or 5.48 meters, and it will impose penalties on companies that will not follow the minimum height standard.This was made possible after a proposed ordinance sponsored by City Councilor Jerry Guardo was approved on third and final reading on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. It will be fully implemented after Mayor Michael Rama signs it.Guardo said the new ordinance would allow the City to protect the public from low-hanging cables that could be snagged by passing large vehicles such as trucks, buses and container vans. Aside from possibly harming passersby, toppled pole could also result in power and internet interruptions and traffic disruption.The councilor said the 18 feet vertical clearance is designed for telcos and power distributors to easily adjust their poles if the road is being concreted or repaired.“The vertical clearance for utility and telecommunication cable wires and lines is absolutely necessary to ensure the smooth flow of construction works in the future such as road improvement and widening,” Guardo said. (GDC)