As the largest electric distribution utility in the Philippines, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) plays an important role not just in enabling economic growth but also in promoting advocacies that have widescale impact such as public safety.

Beyond its duty of delivering reliable and stable electricity at the least possible cost, Meralco is also an active partner of the government in nation-building—supporting different public projects and campaigns for the benefit of the country.

Among the campaigns that Meralco recently intensified is its Anti-Dangling and Unauthorized Wire Attachments Operation, which aims to address urban blight concerns within the distribution utility's franchise area.

Through the program, Meralco has been actively conducting inspections, correction of low-sagging wires, pole clearing operations, and removal of unauthorized attachments to its poles to ensure the continued safe delivery of stable and reliable electricity to its 7.8 million customers.

PARTNERS IN NATION-BUILDING

In addressing urban blight, Meralco implements a collective approach that involves coordination and collaboration with different local government units (LGUs) and government agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Meralco has so far conducted Anti-Dangling and Unauthorized Wire Attachments Operations in the cities of Manila, Marikina, Pasig, and parts of Bulacan, with more areas in the pipeline.

The benefits of Meralco's efforts to address urban blight has been commended by LGUs and various community members for its immediate impact in the campaign to promote public safety.

In one of Meralco's operations in Pasig City, BFP Fire Superintendent and City Fire Marshal Elaine Baylon-Evangelista even highlighted the importance of Meralco's public safety campaign, noting that pole problems and dangling wires can cause fires and accidents.

Based on the joint inspection by Meralco and BFP, Baylon-Evangelista said it was found that many of the dangling and idle wires connected to the distribution utility's poles are telco and cable wires or foreign attachments.

"Meralco's program will benefit the community. Aside from the fact that it would make the streets more pleasant to look at, it would also help preserve the integrity of electric poles," she said in Tagalog.

With foreign attachments identified as one of the most common causes of pole troubles, Meralco has been appealing to cable and telco companies to coordinate with the distribution utility and follow the process for wire attachment applications. This is to ensure the capability of distribution facilities like poles to support these foreign attachments, therefore avoiding untoward incidents.

"Unauthorized wire attachments to our poles pose operational risks and endanger lives. We are appealing to telco and cable companies to secure the necessary approvals before attaching to our facilities," Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said. "We also ask the public to help promote public safety by reporting incidents of unauthorized attachments to authorities."

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY

Those living and working in the communities that Meralco services stand to benefit the most from the intensified campaign against urban blight.

Among them is Joseph de Hitta, who has been working as a security guard in a mall near Ermita, Manila where Meralco recently conducted the latest leg of its Anti-Dangling and Unauthorized Wire Attachments Operation.

De Hitta expressed pleasure at Meralco's removal of dangling and idle wires, saying it would help allay the worries of people passing by the busy street.

 "The people walking on the streets no longer have to worry that the pole might fall because of the heavy wires attached to it. It's good that Meralco regularly fixes their facilities," he said in Tagalog.

For sari-sari store owner Evelyn Mapilisan, the correction of low-sagging wires has helped ease her worries of possible accidents, sharing: "I no longer have to worry of the possibility that a pole might fall and hit me. Now I can talk to my neighbors on the streets without worrying about our safety," she said.

Street vendor Mikaela Cao shared the same sentiments as well, noting that Meralco's operations benefit not just people passing by the streets but motorists as well.

"This is for our safety. Before even motorcycles and vehicles have to slow down because of the dangling wires. Now, they can pass by without having to worry of these things," she said in Tagalog.

With safety at the core of Meralco's operations, the distribution utility continuously implements programs aligned with this such as the proactive maintenance of its distribution facilities and information campaigns to empower the public.

"We will continue to do more of these because we in Meralco put a premium on safety—not just of our employees but of the customers and communities we serve," Zaldarriaga said.