REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No 714

Introduced byMAGDALO Party List Representatives
Gary C. Alejano and Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

When super typhoon Yolanda slammed into the central part of the country, government officials located
therein were unreachable, and the aforesaid affected areas were completely disconnected from the outside
world, In the aftermath of thestorm, 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,” with “248 transmission
towers and 198 poles either toppled or broken, and 120 poles leaning,”*As the government and service
providers struggle to restore 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 consequence of typhoon Yolanda.The country is met with natural disasters
with frightening regularity, A large number 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
posegrave 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 are
the tangible and intangible impacts of extended outages such as unrest, discomfort, and lost economic
activity among affected population,

In other countries, “concems about the reliability of overhead lines, increases in their mainte
operating costs and issues of public safety and quality of life are leading more and more utili
municipalities to the realization that converting overhead distribution lines to underground is the best way
to provide 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 electric power, gas and fiber optic cabling, via underground lines.

Hence, recognizing the need to relocate overhead power cables and other utilitiestomake them less
susceptible to the impacts of severe weather, this measure seeks to make it mandatory, within five 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,
further, 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 moreeconomical, safe and reliablethan rebuilding from the exact same technology destroyed by said
weather catastrophes.

In view of the foregoing, immediate enactment of this measure is earnestly sought.

YC, ALEJANO F iCISCO ASHLEY L, ACEDILLO

Power restoration in typhoon-hit areas may take 2 months. Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) | Updated November 11, 2013 - 12:00am.
Accessed. from http a 0 nower-restoration-typhoon-hit-areas-may-take-2-months
oni1/24/2013,

Sper National Grid Corporation ofthe Philippines Leyte and Samar islands stil without power days after Yolanda super typhoon November
13, 2013 2:09am, Accessed from ‘-samarislands-stil-

powers z (on 11/24/2013.
SConvertingoverhead utes to underground Accessed frem
http://www governor.maryland gov documents /eOverheadToUnderground pdf on 11/20/2013.


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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 371.4

Introduced byMAGDALO Party List Representatives
Gary C. Alejano and Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo

AN ACT
REQUIRING ALL FRANCHISE GRANTEES USING WIRES AND CABLES IN THE
OPERATION OF THEIR BUSINESS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES TO PLACE THEIR WIRE
AND CABLE CONNECTIONS UNDER THE GROUND, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATIONS THEREOF

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

SEC. 1.Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Underground Wiring Act of 2014.”

SEC. 2.Declaration of Policy.
safeguard the interests of the public against the hazard posed by aerial wire and cable installations of

It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and

publie utility firms especially during and after the occurrence of natural calamities such as typhoons and

earthquakes,

ind such other similar catastrophes.

SEC. 3.Purpose. ~ Within a period of five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act, all franchise
grantees engaged in the business of providing telephone service and in supplying electric current to the
public, or who are using wires and cables in the operation of their business within the Philippines are

hereby required to place their wire and cable connection under the ground: Provided, however, That those
who shall commence the operation of the business referred to hereinabove, subsequent to the effectivity

of this Act shall comply with the provisions of this Act as soon as the operation of the business is started.

The said franchise grantee shall use pipes and conduits which shall be safe, modern, and first
class in all respect, and said wires shall be carefully and systematically connected, fastened, and insulated
to assure physical safety to the public. Whenever the wires and conduits are placed or installed under the
‘ground whose surface is paved with conerete or asphalt, the franchise grantee shall, after the completion
of the construction, installation, connection, or repair, properly replace, at his own expense without delay,
the destroyed pavement and such other property affected thereby, removing materials which may have
been placed there, taken up or dug up during the construction, installation, connection or repair of the
underground pipes or conduits, leaving all property in as good condition as before the work started.


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SEC. 4.Penaity. — Any franchise grantee who violates the provisions of this Act shall be punished
by a fine of not less than FiftyThousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) for each day commencing:
a, From the first day immediately after the period of five years fixed under the next preceding
section has expired, until he has fully complied with the provisions of this Act in the case of a
franchise grantee already in operation of his business prior to the effectivity of this Act; and
b. From the date such violation is committed,ttttwql up to and including the date of his full
‘compliance with this Act in the case of a franchise grantee who will start the operation of the

business subsequent to the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 5.Repealing Clause, ~All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, other issuances or

parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6.Effectivity. ~This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two

(2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,