ILOILO City Mayor Jerry Treñas has set a deadline for public utility companies to remove their wires and poles along the Diversion Road, also known as Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue, by January 16, 2025.
This comes after the city government successfully dismantled the tangled wires at Calle Real or JM Basa Street in the City Proper district earlier this January, in line with the city’s Regulation Ordinance No. 2023-006.
The ordinance, approved on January 18, 2023, requires public utility providers to relocate their cables underground in designated areas, such as plaza complexes, heritage sites, and major roads.
“These unsightly lines, spanning from the service road to the other side, have turned this iconic avenue into a long stretch of what looks like clotheslines, detracting from its beauty,” Mayor Treñas stated on Sunday, January 5.
The 14-kilometer Diversion Road in Mandurriao district serves as a key route connecting the city to Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan.
Treñas stressed that the overhead wires disrupt the multimillion-peso investments made by the national government in developing the area’s bike lanes and service roads.
“Leaders should not be afraid to do what is needed in the community, even when faced with difficulties. Difficult things can be done if we are united, with clear consciences, working not for any vested interest but solely for the welfare of our beloved Ilonggos,” he added.
On January 3, disruptions to internet services were experienced by residents and businesses in the city proper, including the city hall, due to the removal of telecommunication cables along J.M. Basa Street. This also affected real property tax payments, requiring transactions to be processed at City Hall due to the temporary unavailability of offsite payment systems.
