Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 584

Introduced by Rep. Jaime R. Fresnedi

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 referred to as the "Anti-Spaghetti Wires Act”.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to:

(a) Ensure the safety and protection of live 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,
cable and telecommunications companies to their clients.

SEC. 3. Responsibility of Electric Distribution, Cable and Telecommunications
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


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

584

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to resolve the problems of “spaghetti wires” — unused, obstructive,
entangled, and low-hanging wires which are an eyesore and safety concern to the publ

‘These disorganized and neglected utility lines not only contribute to visual blight but also
pose serious risks to public safety. The lack of coordinated maintenance among electric
distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies has worsened this issue over the years.

This bill seeks to address these long-standing concems. It establishes clear
responsibilities for electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies to ensure
the safety. reliability, and cleanliness of their infrastructure. Among the critical requirements
are the periodic inspection of utility lines, removal of unused or hazardous wires and poles, and
strict compliance with existing technical standards.

This proposed measure also strengthens the role of local government units (I.GUs),
mandating them to monitor and enforce compliance within their jurisdictions, and empowers
them to take legal and administrative actions against non-compliant service providers or
negligent local officials. It also establishes an Inter-Agency Committee led by the Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC) to set national standards, conduct inspections, and coordinate
efforts among stakeholders. This ensures that the country’s utilities not only function reliably,
but also responsibly.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

JAI FRESNEDI
resentative
Lone District, Muntinlupa City


shall implement sound maintenance programs in all their service areas. To this end, all electric
distribution, cable and telecommunications companies shall perform the followin,

(a) Conduct periodic inspection of overhead electric distribution and communication lines,
in compliance with 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) Fix and bundle up dangling overhead secondary and communication lines;

(c) Remove unused overhead electric distribution and communication lines;

(d) Remove unused poles, relocate obstructing poles along carriageways and public roads,
and replace damaged or rotten utility poles; and

(e) Strictly adhere to and ensure compliance with the standards and regulations provided
under the Philippine Electrical Code (PEC), as approved and adopted by the Board of
Electrical Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission pursuant to the
mandate vested upon the Board under Republic Act (RA) No. 7920, otherwise known
as the “New Electrical Engineering Law”.

SEC. 4. Joint Use of Structures. ~ The joint use of structures shall be encouraged for
circuits along highways, roads, streets, and alleys. The choice between joint use of structures
and separate lines shall be determined through collaborative considerations 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 (ROW) and other factors as may be provided in the rules and
regulation to be promulgated to implement this Act.

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 territorial jurisdiction, comply with the provisions of Section 3 of this
Act.

‘The Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan concerned shall, pursuant to
RA7160, as amended, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991”, enact an
ordinance governing the overhead installation of electric distribution lines, cables and utility
poles, in accordance with the Electrical Code, National Building Code (NBC), and RA 11361,
otherwise known as 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 installation or
fix or bundle up its utility lines or remove all old and unused lines in violation of the regulations
and standards provided for under PEC 3 before the court of competent jurisdiction. Any person
may file and administrative complaint against the city or municipal engineer who fails to
monitor the compliance of electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies with
the standards and regulations provided under PEC 2.

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 rectify its error within
sixty (60) days upon being notified.

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 concemed on violation on the issuance of the
building permits for non-compliance with the rules and the standards on setbacks and
clearances under the PEC, the NBC, and RA 11361, as provided in this Act.

SEC. 6. Installation of Overhead Electric Distribution Lines, Cables and Utility Poles
and Standard Requirements. ~ All overhead electric distribution lines, cables, and utility poles
shall be inspected by the city or municipal engineer, or the DPWH, whichever is applicable.
The installation of overhead electric distribution lines, cables, and utility poles shall conform
to the PEC 2. Philippine Distribution Code (PDC), Distribution Services and Open Access
Rules, NBC, and other applicable existing local and international standards, of which
compliance shall be ensured by the Inter-Agency Committee under Section 9 of this Act. The
specific location shall be inspected by the engineering officials prior to, during and after the
installation.

In cases where the ideal location to install a pole 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
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, whichever is applicable, 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.

Removal or realignment of lines, cables, and utility poles shall be performed by the
concerned utilities. The clean-up operation shall commence within six (6) months from the
promulgation of the IRR pursuant to Section 12 of this Act.

SEC. 8. Role of the Monitoring and Service Team. - The Monitoring and Service Teams
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 for the efficient delivery of their services. Maintenance shall
include proper bundling, casing and replacement of utility poles, equipment, and accessories,
and retirement of unused lines, cables and utility poles.

Upon finding of failure to comply with the relevant regulations, the Monitoring and
Service Teams shall inform the electric distribution, cable, and telecommunications companies
which 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. Prior to the
implementation of the construction project, the implementing government agency or private
entity shall inform and coordinate with the electric distribution of its lines, cables, utility poles,
equipment, and accessories shall be shouldered by the implementing agency or private entity
of the construction project.

The implementing government agency of a construction project shall inform and
coordinate with the electric distribution, cable, or telecommunications company concerned for
the relocation of its lines, cables, utility poles, equipment and accessories. The cost of
relocation 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, constructions, 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 ROW, 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 Administration (NTC), National Transmission
Corporation (TransCo), National Electrification Administration (NEA), Department of Human
Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and representatives from the LGUs and public
utilities, 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 or 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 (PRC-BECE), the Institute of Integrated Electrical
Engineers of the Philippines (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 the 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
provisions of this Act, may be punished with a fine of not less than Two hundred fifty thousand
pesos (250,000.00) 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 (P5000,000.00) but not more than
One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) for the second offense; and a fine of not less than One
million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (P2,000.000.00) for the
third and succeeding offenses as may be determined by the court.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within one hundred twenty (120) days,
the ERC shall, in consultation with the DPWH, DILG, DICT, NTC. TRANSCO, PRBEE. PRC-
BECE, NEA, IIEE, DHSUD, Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines, and
representatives from the LGUs, the electric distribution, cables, and telecommuni
‘companies, promulgate the necessary IRR from the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act shall be deemed
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected there shall remain in force and
effect.


SEC. 17. Repealing Clause, ~ All Acts, Presidential Decrees, Executive Orders and
Administrative Orders, Rules and Regulations and other such issuances or parts thereof which
are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,