By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has directed the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to immediately remove more than 12,000 damaged and leaning utility poles across the capital after a citywide infrastructure audit uncovered thousands of structures that could pose risks to public safety.
The order followed the completion of an ArcGIS-based mapping project by the Manila City Government, which surveyed more than 33,000 electric poles and found over 6,000 damaged poles and more than 6,000 others leaning, prompting City Hall to press for immediate corrective action.
During a consultative meeting on Meralco’s systems loss charges, Domagoso instructed the power distributor to undertake a comprehensive citywide clearing operation, stressing that no district should receive preferential treatment and that every unserviceable pole identified by the city’s mapping system must be addressed.
Meralco, for its part, committed to accelerate the removal of idle and defective poles and agreed to submit a timetable outlining the completion of the citywide cleanup.
“There may be some shortcomings in the past, but we try to correct it today and in the future. You have a friend in the City,” Domagoso told Meralco officials.
The mayor also assured the utility firm that the Manila Police District (MPD) would provide security assistance to Meralco personnel conducting anti-electricity pilferage operations, emphasizing that utility workers should not be exposed to threats while performing their duties.
“Itong mga ito ay nagtatrabaho lang, they’re doing their job, they should not be put in harm’s way,” Domagoso said.
During the meeting, Meralco officials disclosed that some anti-pilferage operations have been delayed because of resistance encountered in several communities. The company also alleged that some barangay officials were using illegal electrical connections in their own households and, in some cases, had obstructed or delayed enforcement activities.
In response, the city government said it would coordinate directly with concerned barangays ahead of enforcement operations to address access refusals and right-of-way issues raised by the utility company.
To further strengthen coordination, Domagoso ordered the establishment of a real-time communication channel linking the Manila City Government, the Manila Police District and Meralco to ensure faster coordination and immediate response during field operations.
The initiative is part of the city government’s broader effort to improve public safety, eliminate hazardous utility infrastructure, intensify the campaign against electricity pilferage, and strengthen cooperation with Meralco in delivering safer and more reliable power services to Manila residents.
ia/xf
