DRAFT PROVINCIAL ORDINANCE NO.

___-2021

REGULATING THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF DISTRIBUTION

LINES OF VARIOUS UTILITIES ALONG ALL ROADS IN THE PROVINCE OF LA
UNION

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Maria Annabelle S. de Guzman

Author

WHEREAS, the promotion and enhancement of the aesthetics of roads, plazas, buildings and
public places is one of the development thrusts of the current administration of the Provincial
Government of La Union;

WHEREAS, dangling wires and “spaghetti” cables not only have become an eyesore which
divest the beauty off the historic buildings and landscapes of each component local government
unit, to the impairment of the growing tourism industry, but also, poses safety and hazard issues
which may cause accidents and disasters that may claim the life and limbs of the people;

WHEREAS, the neat and orderly wire/cable arrangements on posts will not only ensure
convenience and lesser connection outages of subscribers but will also ensure a faster fix should
there a need to troubleshoot or repair connections and likewise ensure safety of linemen and
technical people of utility providers;

  
Chapter I GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
SECTION  1. –  Title. This ordinance shall be known as the “Anti-Dangling Wires and Spaghetti
Cable Connections Ordinance of the Province of La Union.
 
SECTION 2. – Scope. This ordinance shall cover the construction, installation and maintenance
of Electrical Poles and wires, Cables for Television and Telephone Pole and cables/wires along
all roads in all component LGUs within the territorial jurisdiction of the province of La Union.
 
SECTION 3 – Definition of Terms. As provided in this Ordinance, the following words and
phrases shall mean:

1. Approved Provincial Utility Poles Locational Plan: A detailed plan designed to regulate
erection and maintenance of poles and distribution lines of various utility companies and private
individual.
2. CBD – Central Business District
3. Electric Utility: LUECO, LUELCO or any duly registered electric energy provider in a
component LGU.
4. NEA: National Electrical Administration
5. Revised Philippine Electrical Code (PEC 1 @ 2): Updated edition of electrical code
as formulated by the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines and approved
by the Department of Public Works and Highways as basis for regulation of all electrical
installations in the Philippines.
6. Sag: The difference in elevation between the highest point of support of the conductor and the
lowest point of the conductor in the span
7. Service: The conductors and equipment for  delivering energy from the electricity supply
system to the wiring system of the premises served.
8. Service Conductors: The supply conductors that extend from the street main or from
transformers to the service equipment of the premises supplied
9. Service Entrance The portion of electrical system from the service drop wire to the service
equipment of the premises supplied.
10. Service Drop: The overhead service conductors from the last pole or other aerial support to
and including the splices, if  any, connecting to the service entrance conductors at the building or
other structure.
11. Service Lateral the underground service conductors between the street main, including any
risers at a pole or other structure or from transformers, and the first point of connection to the
service entrance conductors in a  terminal box or meter or other enclosures with adequate space,
inside or outside the building wall. Where there is no terminal box, meter or other enclosure with
adequate space, the point of connection shall be considered to be the point of entrance of the
service conductors into the building.
12. Utilities – All public utilities operating within the territorial jurisdiction of the component
LGUs in the province of La Union such as, but not limited to Electric Cooperative/company,
Telephone company, cable television and the like.

SECTION 4. Primary Responsibility – The Office of the Province Engineer in coordination with
the First and Second La Union Engineering Districts and all Municipal/City Engineers in each
component LGU or designate in cooperation with all electric, cable TV and telecommunication
service providers shall formulate the Approved Provincial Utility Poles Locational Plan which
shall be the basis of the regulation of construction of distribution lines.

SECTION 5.-  The Approved Provincial Utility Poles Locational Plan (APUPLP) is a designed
plan or blueprint which shall contain the following details;

1. Exact location and/or relocation site of electric/utility poles in each component LGU;
2. Pole type;
3. Allowed voltage of distribution lines;
4. Clearances;
5. Exact traverse point of conductors; and
6. Other details as necessary for the effective implementation of this ordinance.
 
SECTION  6.  It shall be prohibited for any utility company to work on distribution lines without
securing working permit/clearances from the office of the Municipal/City Engineer and Traffic
and Transport Management Office of each LGU on poles located along municipal and barangay
roads within the jurisdiction of the component LGU pursuant to an enacted ordinance of the
component LGU.

SECTION  7.  It shall be prohibited for any utility company to work on distribution lines without
securing working permit/clearances from the office of the Provincial Engineer upon the
endorsement of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Public Works and Utilities on
poles located along the national highway or the main carriageway and along provincial roads.
 
SECTION 8. Horizontal and vertical clearances of distribution lines shall be maintained at all
times in accordance with Philippine Electrical Code I and II. All redundant poles shall be
removed.
 
SECTION 9. Installation and/or delivery of transformer, generator and other large utility
equipment shall be allowed only from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Prior to installation and/or delivery
of the abovementioned equipment, clearances from the respective municipal/city Engineer’s
Office and/or TTMO on poles located along municipal and barangay roads within the
jurisdiction of the component LGU shall be obtained. For poles located along the national
highway or the main carriageway and along provincial roads clearances from the respective
municipal/city Engineer’s Office and/or TTMO and from the Provincial Engineer’s Office shall
be obtained.
 
 
Chapter II ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION LINES
 
SECTION  10.  No building or structure shall be tapped to electric utility without prior approval
from the office of the Local Building Official of the component LGU.
 
SECTION 11. When single electrical characteristic is required by a newly constructed or
renovated building only one service shall be allowed except where fire pumps, emergency
legally required standby, or parallel power production where separate service is required.
Additional entrance may be allowed if the capacity requirement is above 2000 amperes at a
supply voltage of 600 V or less and the total floor area of the building is 10,000 square meter and
above or one lot dimension is 100 meters and above.
 
SECTION 12.  All newly constructed or renovated commercial building shall allocate adequate
space solely for electrical equipment installation and maintenance. The size of the area shall
comply with the requirements of the Revised Philippine Electrical Code.
 
SECTION 13.  Height & Other Requirements
a) The minimum height of service support in a building shall be 5.8 meters measured from the
bottom of the bracket or pin insulators.
b) Measured from the top the height of rain tight service head shall be 5.9 meters.
c) Height of streetlights shall be maintained at 7.5 meters.
d) All electric poles shall maintain 90 degrees verticality.
e) The height of electric poles in CBD I and II area shall be 12 meters
f) Sag of electric conductors shall be maintained at 0.30 meters.
g) All secondary drop wire shall be allowed to cross street in one predetermined location.
h) All electrical installation shall be done in accordance with approved standards and superior
workmanship.
i) No electric pole shall be erected by the electric utility without prior approval from the Office
of the Building Official/Office of the City Engineer.
j) Distribution lines along Elias Angeles and General Luna shall be relocated in accordance with
the APUPLP.
 
SECTION 14. – All existing generator distribution lines shall be deemed illegal electrical
installations and shall be removed from the distribution system.
 
SECTION 15. – It shall be prohibited at all times to install portable generator along established
sidewalk and thoroughfares.
 
SECTION 16. – There shall be a uniform type of streetlights along CBDs in each component
LGU.
 
Chapter III TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
 
SECTION 17. – The following shall be observed by all telecommunications companies operating
within all component LGUs in the province of La Union

a) No building shall be tapped to any telephone utility without prior approval from the local
building official.
b) All commercial establishments shall have central telephone terminal cabinet wherein the
capacity of which shall be enough to supply the required telephone lines of the building.
c) All major rehabilitation of telephone lines shall be done underground.
d) All idle drop wires of all telephone companies shall be removed.
e) All telephone lines outside of a building shall be run in approved type conduit.
f) All traversing telephone drop wire shall be allowed only in traversing points as indicated in the
APUPLP.
g) Traversing telephone line shall be allowed underground as long as it will be done through
boring.
h) All communication poles shall be removed and telephone lines thereat shall be transferred to
electric cooperative poles.
j) All telephone lines shall maintain clearances in accordance with PEC, NEA and electric
cooperative standards.
k) All telephone lines shall maintain sag not more than 0.30 per span.
l) All service drop conductor that run along with backbone lines shall be bundled with the latter.
m) All telephone entrance shall be installed with a minimum height of 4.8 meters measured from
the top of rain tight service head.
n) Only one entrance per telephone provider shall be allowed for a building or structure.
Provided, that no distribution line shall be installed within private lots without the written
permission of the property owner.
 
Chapter IV COMMUNITY CABLE TELEVISION
 
SECTION 18. – The following shall be observed by all Community Cable Television Company
operating within all component LGUs in the province of La Union 
a) All Community Cable Television supply cable outside of the building shall be installed in
approved type of conduits.
b) No additional pole shall be allowed for exclusive use of Community Cable Television.
c) All distribution cable of CCTV shall maintain clearances in accordance with PEC 1 and 2,
NEA and electric cooperative standards.
d) All distribution cable of CCTV shall maintain allowable sag, which is not more than 0.30 per
span.
e) All CCTV entrance shall be installed with a minimum height of 4.8 meters.
f) Only one entrance per CCTV provider shall be allowed for a building or structure.
g) All traversing CCTV drop wire shall be allowed only in traversing points as indicated in the
APUPLP.
Provided, that no distribution line shall be installed within private lots without the written
permission by the concerned property owner.
Chapter V- TRANSITORY AND PENAL PROVISION PROVISIONS
 
SECTION 19. – All public utility companies operating within the territorial jurisdiction of all
component LGUs in the Province of La Union is hereby given a period of six (6) months from
the affectivity of this ordinance to relocate their facilities and to comply with the requirements
herein provided.
 
SECTION 20. – Penal Provisions. – The Manager, Administrator or Head of Office of Utility
Companies, distributors of emergency power, owners/proprietor of buildings and their
contractors who shall be found violating the provisions of this ordinance shall suffer the fines
and penalties as follows:
 
First Infraction – a fine of Three Thousand Pesos (P3,000.00) per pole per day until such time
that the wire/cable entanglement had been resolved.

Second and Succeeding Infractions– a fine of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) per pole per day
until such time that the wire/cable entanglement had been resolved, or imprisonment of not more
than one (1) year, or both such fines and penalties upon the discretion of the Court.

If there are multiple utility companies contributing to the dangling of wires and “spaghetti
cables,” each company will be issued with POVR.

For any other violations as provided in this ordinance

First Infraction – a fine of Three Thousand Pesos (P3,000.00)
Second and Succeeding Infractions– a fine of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00), or
imprisonment of not more than one (1) year, or both such fines and penalties upon the discretion
of the Court.
SECTION 21. Separability Clause – If any provision or portion of this ordinance found to be a
violation  of the constitution and declared invalid, the provisions or portion hereof which are not
so declared shall remain to be in full force and effect.
 
SECTION 22. Repealing Clause – All ordinances, executive orders and rules and regulations or
parts thereof, which are inconsistent or in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
 
SECTION 23. Effectivity – This ordinance shall take effect upon its approval, posting and fifteen
(15) days after publication in a newspaper of local circulation.