Tulfo wants firms to be accountable for 'spaghetti wires' on street post

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday urged the Committee on Public Works to address the tangled cables he described as "spaghetti wires" on street posts, which he says pose possible risks.

“It seems that these wires are mostly from utility companies such as telecommunication companies, internet providers, and electricity distributors. These companies apply for permits to install these structures and attach these cables but there seems to be nobody actively regulating them," Tulfo said.

Tulfo noted that once a wire is no longer in use, “they just leave it there” and new utility providers will just keep on adding new ones.

“There is a clear lack of accountability on the telcos and the government regulating agencies,” said Tulfo.

The senator said the tangled wires pose several risks such as fire, damage to property, and even traffic.

He also emphasized how the spaghetti wires have become an eyesore.

“There should be a more national direction regarding these concerns. There are individual actions in some areas. For example, in Davao, they already installed their cables underground,"” Tulfo stressed. 

He also mentioned that some local government units, like Cebu and Valenzuela, started a clearing drive operation in their area of the tangled cables.

Pasig City, meanwhile, implemented an ordinance holding telecommunication and electric companies liable for their failure to clear these lines. 

“Maybe we could explore these options so that these spaghetti wires could finally be resolved and no more life could be put at risk,” he noted. 

The lawmaker said his attention was recently called regarding these spaghetti wires when several complainants came to his program after getting into an accident caused by some hanging wires along EDSA.

“I believe that the Committee on Public Works, under the chairmanship of Senator Bong Revilla, could able address this. And as Chairman of the Committee on Energy, I will take the cudgels against the electric distribution companies," Tulfo said.

"If there are adjustments that we need to make in our laws and put the responsibility on those businesses making use of these posts and cables, I know we can work on this together,” added Tulfo. —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News