Wires too hard to hide—Meralco

Retrofitting Metro Manila to hide its “spaghetti” wires is near impossible, as the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said that the existing underground infrastructure was built only for drainage and water, not for electric cables.

- BY GABRIELL CHRISTEL GALANG

Retrofitting Metro Manila to hide its “spaghetti” wires is near impossible, as the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said that the existing underground infrastructure was built only for drainage and water, not for electric cables.

Meralco Head of Networks Froilan J. Savet told reporters that investing in subterranean cabling, while promising fewer congested overhead lines, is only feasible in select areas in Metro Manila.

“We work closely with real estate developers... [That’s why] it’s easier to implement underground with greenfield,” Savet said, referring to new development areas.

“The challenge is the brownfield [projects]. When they’re brownfield, they’re already existing facilities... Urban planners designed the cities without considering underground installations,” he explained, noting the initial designs primarily catered to water and drainage.