Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay on Wednesday urged stronger coordination between local government units (LGUs) and telecommunication companies (telcos) to address Metro Manila’s persistent “spaghetti wire” problem.
Binay said telcos must first secure permits from city hall before installing cables, stressing that close collaboration with barangays, LGUs, and Meralco is needed to prevent haphazard and unsafe wiring.
Her call came during Meralco’s anti-dangling-wires operation in Makati, where she emphasized that unregulated installations not only cause urban clutter but also pose hazards to residents and utility workers.
In 2024, the Metro Manila Council (MMC) passed Resolution 24-16 urging NCR cities to adopt ordinances regulating and monitoring utility wire installations. MMC President and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora explained that many of the wires are decades old and unused, creating dangerous tangles on electric posts.
Zamora said LGUs may remove obsolete wires and set limits on how many cables can be installed per post. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Don Artes added that each city will determine its own implementation rules and penalties for violators.
While initiatives are underway, officials acknowledged that only sustained coordination among LGUs, telcos, and utilities can prevent Metro Manila’s tangled wires from piling up again in the future.
