Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
____________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT MANDATING THE PROPER INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 
OVERHEAD ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION, COMMUNICATION LINES, AND STRUCTURES 
BY ALL ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION, CABLE, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
COMPANIES FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Dangling and low-lying electric and cable wires, and derelict posts and poles are a common 
sight and eyesore in most of our communities. There have been reports of accidents caused 
by these dangling and low-lying electric and cable wires. 
On 14 June 2022, a boy was electrocuted by a live wire in Barangay Molino 2, Bacoor, 
Cavite.1 
Deaths and injuries caused by dangling and low-lying electric and cable wires, and derelict 
posts and poles must be prevented. This bill aims to protect the lives of the people. The hope 
is that from the passage of this bill there would be no more deaths related to electrocution.  
This bill has been approved by the House of Representatives in the 18th Congress and was 
transmitted to the Senate for its consideration and approval. However, due to a lack of 
material time, this proposed measure was not enacted into law. 
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the 
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
1 https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/15/boy-dies-from-live-wire-electrocution-in-bacoor-cavite/ 
February 10, 2023
3:47 pm
7138


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT MANDATING THE PROPER INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 
OVERHEAD ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION, COMMUNICATION LINES, AND STRUCTURES 
BY ALL ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION, CABLE, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
COMPANIES FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title, This Act shall be known as the "Proper Installation and Maintenance 
of Overhead Electric Distribution and Communication Lines Act". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to: 
a) Ensure the safety and protection of life and property;
b) Uphold the general welfare; and
c) Promote good housekeeping and implement sound maintenance of utility poles, lines,
cables, equipment and accessories in the conduct  and delivery of services by electric
distribution, cable, and  telecommunications companies to their clients.
SEC. 3. Responsibility of Electric Distribution, Cable, andTelecommunications Companies. 
— It shall be the responsibility of electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications 
companies to safeguard life and property in the conduct and delivery of services to their 
clients. 
All electric distribution, cable and telecommunications companies shall ensure public safety 
and prepare contingencies for calamities or any unforeseen event that may cause harm, 
expose a person to peril and cause 
damage to property, by undertaking necessary precautionary measures to prevent the same. 
Electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies shall implement sound 
7138


 
maintenance programs in all their service areas. Toward this end, all electric distribution, 
cable, and telecommunications companies shall perform the following: 
 
(a) 
Conduct periodic inspection of overhead electric distribution and communication lines, 
in compliance with the standard clearance under the Philippine Electrical Code Part 2 (PEC 
2) and as provided for in this Act or its implementing rules and regulations; 
(b) bundle-up dangling overhead secondary and communication lines; 
(c) Remove unused overhead electric distribution and communication lines; 
(d) Replace all unused, misplaced, damaged and rotten utility poles; and 
(e) Strictly adhere to and ensure compliance with the standards and 
regulations provided under the Philippine Electrical Code, as approved and adopted by the 
Board of Electrical Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission pursuant to the 
mandate vested upon the Board 5 under Republic Act No. 7920, otherwise known as the 
"New Electrical 6 Engineering Law  
 
SEC. 4. Joint Use of Structures. — The joint use of structures shall be considered for circuits 
along highways, roads, streets, and alleys. The choice between joint use of structures and 
separate lines shall be determined through collaborative consideration of all the factors 
involved, including the character of circuits, the total number and weight of conductors, tree 
conditions, number and location of branches and service drops, structure conflicts, and 
availability of right-of-way and other factors as may be provided in the rules and regulations 
to be promulgated to implement.  Where such joint use is mutually agreed upon, it shall be 
subject to the appropriate grade of construction specified in Article 3.5 of PEC 2. 
 
SEC. 5. Responsibility of the Local Government Units (LGUs). — All cities and municipalities 
shall, through their respective city or municipal engineers or the Department of Public Works 
and Highways (DPWH) in the case of national roads, ensure that every utility company, within 
their 21 territorial jurisdiction, comply with the provisions of Section 3 of this Act. 
The Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan concerned shall, pursuant to Republic 
Act No. 7160, as amended, otherwise known as the 
Local Government Code, issue an ordinance governing the overhead 
installation of electric distribution lines, cables and utility poles, in accordance with the 
Electrical Code, National Building Code and RA No. 11361 or the Anti-Obstruction of Power 
Lines Act and in consultation with the agencies concerned. 
The city or municipal engineer, or the authorized representative of such city or municipality 
shall, in addition to the authority to withhold the grant or renewal of licenses or business 
permits, file a complaint against the electric distribution, cable, or telecommunications 
company, which fails to conduct periodic inspection of its respective utility line installations 
or fix or 1 bundle up its utility lines or remove all old and unused lines in violation of 2 the 
regulations and standards provided for under the PEC 2 before the court of competent 
jurisdiction. Any person may file an administrative complaint against the city or municipal 


 
engineer who fails to monitor the compliance of 5 electric distribution, cable, and 
telecommunications companies with the 6 standards and regulations provided under the PEC 
Once it has been notified of a possible violation, the city or municipality, or the DPWH in the 
case of national roads, shall send notice to the erring company to allow it to rectify its error 
within a reasonable time or to explain its reasons for failure to comply with the standards set 
forth in 
Republic Act No. 7920 and its implementing rules and regulations. Upon failure to rectify its 
error or continuous non-compliance without justifiable cause, the city or municipal engineer, 
or the DPWH in the case of national roads, may conduct an investigation, upon due notice to 
the erring company. A finding of fault by the authorized person conducting the investigation 
may result in the withholding of the renewal of the corresponding business licenses or permits 
for erring electric distribution, cable and telecommunications companies. 
The public utilities shall notify the LGU concerned on violations on the issuance of building 
permits for non-compliance with the rules and the standards on setbacks and clearances 
under the Philippine Electrical Code, 22 the National Building Code, and the "Anti-Obsfruction 
of Power Lines Act" or 23 Republic Act No. 11361, as provided in this Act. 
 
SEC. 6. Installation of Overhead Electric Distribution Lines, Cables and Utility Poles and 
Standard Requirements. — All installation of overhead electric distribution lines, cables, and 
utility poles shall be inspected by the city or municipal engineer, or the DPWH, whichever is 
applicable. Installation of overhead electric distribution lines, cables and utility poles shall 
conform to the PEC 2, Philippine Distribution Code (PDC), 30 Distribution Services and Open 
Access Rules (DSOAR), National Building Code (NBC), and other applicable existing local 
and international standards, of which compliance shall be ensured by the Inter-Agency 
Committee under 1 Section 9 of this Act. The specific location shall be inspected by the 2 
engineering officials prior to, during and after the installation. In cases where the ideal location 
of a pole installation is unavailable, the concerned city or municipal government, or the 
DPWH, shall assist the pole owner in identifying and securing the right-of-way (ROW) for 
alternative pole locations, at no cost to the government. 
Pending the promulgation of standards by the Inter-Agency Committee under Section 9 of 
this Act, or a uniform set of requirements by the barangay, city, or municipal government unit 
on the overhead installation and maintenance of electric distribution lines, cables, utility 
poles, equipment and accessories, the city or municipal government shall assist the owner 
of a facility on issues concerning the same. 
 


 
SEC. 7. Creation of a Monitoring and Service Team. — A Monitoring and Service Team, led 
by the city or municipal engineer and composed of representatives from the pole owners and 
the electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies, shall, in coordination with 
the barangay, city, or municipal-engineer or the DPWH, whichever is applicable, be created 
to perform the immediate and necessary clean-up operation and maintenance of overhead 
electric distribution lines, cables, utility poles, equipment and accessories in compliance with 
the provisions of this Act. 
The clean-up operation shall commence within six (6) months from the promulgation of the 
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) pursuant to Section 13 of this Act. 
 
SEC. 8. Rote of the Monitoring and Service Team. — The Monitoring 
and Service Teams of electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications 
companies shall conduct a semi-annual inspection to check compliance to Section 3 of this 
Act and maintenance of their electric distribution lines, cables, utility poles, equipment and 
accessories installed in a particular area 29 for the efficient delivery of their services. 
Maintenance shall include proper 30 bundling, casing and replacement of damaged electric 
distribution lines and 31 cables, and repair and replacement of utility poles, equipment and 
accessories, and retirement of unused electric distribution lines, cables and utility poles. 
Electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies shall be given a reasonable 
period of time to relocate and realign displaced lines, cables, utility poles, equipment and 
accessories as a result of a public infrastructure work. The implementing government agency 
of a construction project shall inform and coordinate with the electric distribution, cable, or 
telecommunication company concerned for the relocation of its lines, cables, utility poles, 
equipment and accessories. The cost of relocating such lines, cables, utility poles, equipment 
and accessories shall be shouldered by the implementing agency of the construction project. 
The implementing government agency shall provide its plans, specifications and provide 
utility corridors for the adequate evaluation of the design, construction, operation, and 
maintenance of facilities. All costs that shall be incurred in the necessary relocation of 
facilities of the public utilities concerned as a result of such public infrastructure work shall 
be borne by the implementing agency or project proponent as part of its obligation to deliver 
the right-of way, or by the private concessionaire, as the case may be. 
A real-time inspection and monitoring shall be done in cases of emergencies and calamities. 
 
SEC. 9. Inter-Agency Committee. — An Inter-Agency Committee to be chaired by the ERC 
and composed of authorized representatives from the DPWH, Department of the Interior and 
Local Government (DILG), 


 
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), 
National Telecommunications Company (NTC), National Transmission Corporation 
(TransCo), National Electrification Administration (NEA), and representatives from the LGUs, 
is hereby created to set the prescribed standards in the overhead installation of lines, cables, 
utility poles, equipment and accessories, monitor the same and conduct periodic inspection 
thereof to ensure compliance thereto and shall jointly plan for the conduct of clean-up drives, 
identify issues, prioritize key areas, recommend best practices or way forward, to ensure 
compliance of the latter with applicable existing laws, rules and regulations of relevant 
agencies/ offices of the government, such as the PEC, the PDC, and the NBC. The Inter-
Agency Committee may invite resource persons, if deemed necessary, from Professional 
Regulatory Board of Electrical Engineering (PRBEE), PRC-Board of Electronics and 
Communications Engineering (PRC4 BECE), the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers 
of the Philippines 5 (IIEE) and two (2) representatives from the private sector. 
 
SEC. 10. Penalty Provisions. 
In addition to the civil liabilities prescribed by Article 2176 
of the Civil Code on quasi-delict and the penalties prescribed by Article 365 of the Revised 
Penal Code on criminal negligence, and unless otherwise provided under special laws, an 
electric distribution, cable, or telecommunications company found in violation of any provision 
of this Act, shall be punished with a fine of not less than Two hundred fifty 
thousand pesos (P250,000.00) but not more than Five hundred thousand pesos 
(P500,000.00) for the first offense; a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos 
(P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P 1,000,000.00) for the second offense; 
and a fine of not less than One million pesos (P 1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million 
pesos (P 2,000,000.00) for the third and succeeding offenses, as may be determined by the 
court. 
 


 
SEC. 11. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC). — There is hereby created a 
Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the effective implementation of this Act, 
recommend the necessary remedial or administrative measures and perform such other 
duties and functions as may be necessary to attain the objectives of this Act. 
The JCOC shall be composed of ten (10) members, with the Chairpersons of the Committees 
on Energy of both Houses of Congress as Co-Chairpersons. The Chairpersons of the House 
Committee on Information and Communications Technology and Senate Committee on 
Public Services shall be the Co-Vice Chairpersons. An additional three (3) members from 29 
each House, shall be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of 30 the House 
of Representatives, respectively: Provided, that at least one (1) 31 member from each House 
shall be nominated by their respective Minority 32 Leaders. The secretariat of the JCOC shall 
be the existing secretariat personnel of the concerned Committees of both Houses of 
Congress. 
 
SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The ERC shall, in consultation with the 
DPWH, DILG, DICT, NTC, TRANSCO, PRBEE, PRC- BECE, NEA, IIEE and representatives 
from the LGUs, the electric distribution, cable and telecommunications companies, 
promulgate the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) within one hundred 
twenty (120) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions hereof, which are not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 11 regulations or parts 
thereof, which are inconsistent with or contrary to the 12 provisions of this Act, are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified 13 accordingly. 
 
 
SEC. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
Approved,