Baguio City eyes to get rid of ‘spaghetti wires' by 2028

Baguio City is aiming to clear the city of “spaghetti” and dangling wires by 2028 that have been a problem for many years. 

Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) chief Darryl Kim Longid said that it would take at least two more years before they can completely remove or fix old, dangling wires, particularly in Baguio City’s central business district (CBD) area. 

“We have a separate team that is working on this every day, all year round. Napakalaking problema ito. Imagine cleaning up this mess of over ten years or more.  We are doing our best. It’s a city-wide problem. Hindi po ganun kadali,” said Longid.

(This is a massive problem. Imagine cleaning up this mess of over ten years or more. We are doing our best. It’s a city-wide problem. It isn't that easy.) 

Longid said that his office has coordinated with several telecommunication companies about the clearing of the “spaghetti” wires. 

The Baguio City POSD chief noted that over 80% of the wires in the CBD and around 5% of such in 128 barangays have already been removed. 

Bulacan 6th district Representative Salvador Pleyto Sr. filed House Bill No. 10427 or the “Anti-Dangling Wires Act of 2024,” which sought to clear roads of dangling wires and overhead cables to prevent possible accidents these may cause. 

If passed into law, public utility providers must bundle up their sagging and dangling aerial utility wires, remove all non-operational or unused wires and cables, and relocate or replace posts adhering to the specified allowable clearance of aerial wires and cables. 

Local government units, meanwhile, may withhold or cancel the permits of erring providers if they fail to comply with the law. —VAL, GMA Integrated News