SIXTlmNTJI CONGlmSS OI? THE 
UEl'UBLlC 01<' TIm 1'IlILIPI'INES 
First Rc~ular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
s.No.1988 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
"13 
NOV 28 P 4 :04 
HECEI\'ED BY, 
When super typhoon Yolanda slammed into the central pmt of the country, government officials located 
therein were unreachable, and the aforesaid affected areas were completely disconnected from the outside 
world. In the allennath of the storm, one of the most pressing needs which require urgent action, is the 
restoration of power, as "90 percent of power poles are down and washed away,,,1 with "248 transmission 
towers and 198 poles either toppled or broken, and 120 poles leaning.'" As the government and service 
providers struggle to rcstore electricity and communications, the feasibility and urgency of placing wire 
and cable connections underground, once more, surface into prominence. 
Power outage is not a unique consequcnce of typhoon Yolanda. The country is met with natural disasters 
with frightening regularity. A large nllinber of prolonged power outages are caused by these severe 
weather disturbances. Moreover, live wires and toppled power poles in the streets due to the same can 
pose grave threat to the safety of the people. Thus, year in and year out, time and resources are spent on 
the repair, maintenance and replacement of the damaged poles, wires and transformers. Add to these arc 
the tangible and intmlgible impacts of extended outages such as unrest, discomfort, and lost economic 
activity among affected population. 
In other countries, "concerns about the reliability of overhead lines, increases in their maintenance and 
operating costs and issues of public safety and quality of life arc leading more and more utilities and 
municipalities to the realization that converting overhcad distribution lines to underground is the best way 
to providc high quality service to their customers."" In the country, a city ordinance to move power lines 
underground was passed by the Cebu City Council. In Metro Manila, the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig 
supplies elcctrie power, gas and flber optic cabling, via underground lincs. 
Hence, recognizing the need to relocate overhead power cables and other utilities to make them less 
susceptible to the impacts of severe weather, this measure seeks to make it mandatory, within flve years 
from its implementation, for all franchise grantees using wires and cables in the operation of their 
business within the country to place their wire and cable connections under the ground. This measure, 
ti.uther, metes out penalties for any violations to the provisions therein. 
It is hoped that through the passage of this bill, the use of underground lines will prove, in the long run, to 
be more economical, safe and reliable than rebuilding from the exaet same tcc\mology destroyed by said 
weather catastrophes. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate enactment of this measure is earnestly sought. 
A,,1i,i: I' m ,,",meg IV 
Senator 
1 Power restorotiml in typlloon-hit area.~ may take 2 mont/IS, Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) I Updated November 11, 2013 - 12:00am. 
Accc:iscll frQUl hlW.i.LLwWW,phHiitarcoID/headljnes 1201Ull/11/12S r;311/pQwer-restQratio!l-lyph~~:Jll.Q.llths: 
ruLUL21/2013. 
2 PCI' Nationnl Grid Corporation of the Philippines. Leytc and Samar islands still without power days after Yolanda sllper typhoon. 
November 13, 2013 2:09am. Accesseu from hltPil/www&Ulillu:..twQ!:k&iHp/ncws/story/335147/news!natjonlleytc-aod-samar-islands.;: 
~itllm1t:::lZ.Qlffl::lliu-'..blflc~ land a -stlper-ty p1\QQll on 11 J 2 4/2013. 
Converting 
overhead 
utilities 
to 
underground. 
Accessed 
from 
http://www.govcrnor.nlalyland.gov /tiocliments/eOverhead'I'oUnderground,pdf on 11/20/201:'1. 
1 


SIXTJ<:ENTH CONGRESS 01" THE 
REI'UULlC 01<' TIll~ I'lIlLIPPINES 
}"irst Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 1988 
_~ ____________ .!Jltroduccd by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. 'frillanes IV 
AN ACT 
'\3 NOV2S P 4 :04 
RECEIVEi) B\; r 
----------
UEQUIlUNG ALL FRANCIlISE GRANTEES USING WIRES AND CABLES IN nil<: 
OI'ERATION OF THEIR BUSINESS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES TO PLACE THEIR WIRE 
AND CAULE CONNECTIONS UNDER THE GROUND, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR 
VIOLATIONS THEREm,' 
lie it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in 
Congress ass em hied: 
1 
SEC. 1. Short 7llle. - This Act shall bc known as the "Underground Wiring Act of 2013." 
2 
SEC. 2. Declarat;on of Policy. -
It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and 
3 
safeguard the interests of the public against the hazard posed by aerial wire and cable installations of 
4 
public utility finns especially during and after the occurrence of natural calamities such as typhoons and 
5 
cazthquakes, and such othcr similar catastrophes. 
6 
SI';C. 3. Purpose. - Within a period of five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act, all franchise 
7 
grantees engaged in the business of providing telephone service and in supplying electric current to the 
8 
public, or who arc using wires and cables in the operation of their business within the Philippines are 
9 
hereby required to placc thcir wire and cable connection under the ground: Provided, however, That those 
10 
who shall commence the operation of the busincss referred to hereinabovc, subsequent to the effectivity 
11 
of this Act shall comply with the provisions of this Act as soon as the operation of the business is started_ 
12 
The said Ii-anchisc grantee shall use pipes and conduits which shall be safe, modern, and first 
13 
class in all respcel, and said wires shall be carefully and systematically connected, fastened, and insulated 
14 
to assure physical saldy to the public. Whenever the wires and conduits are placed or installed under the 
15 
ground whose suriflec is paved with concrete or asphalt, the frazlchise grantee shall, after the complction 
16 
of the construction, installation, conncction, or repair, propcrly replace, at his own expense without delay, 
17 
the destroyed pavement and such other property affected thereby, removing materials which may have 
1 


1 
been placed there, taken up or dug up during the construction, installation, cOImection or repair of the 
2 
underground pipes or conduits, leaving all property in as good condition as before the work started. 
3 
SEC. 4. Pellalty. - Any franchise grantee who violates the provisions of this Act shall be 
4 
punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) for each day commencing: 
5 
a. From the first day immediately after the pcriod of five years fixed under the next preceding 
6 
section has expired, until he has fully complied with the provisions of this Act in the case of a 
7 
franchise grantee already in operation of his business prior to the effectivity of this Act; and 
8 
b. From the date such violation is committed,ttttwql up to and including the date of his full 
9 
compliance with this Act in the case of a franchise grantee who will start the operation of the 
10 
business subsequent to the effectivity ofthis Act. 
11 
SEC. 5. Repealillg Ciau8e. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, other issuances or 
12 
parts thereof inconsistent with this Act arc hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
13 
SEC. 6. E.fJectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least 
14 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
2