- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod passed on third and final reading Aug. 2 the ordinance that imposes a P1,000 mayor’s permit fee on electric and/or telecommunication, cable TV poles/posts/towers owned by public utility companies, and erected on government and/or private lots along government streets, roads, highways and/or alleys per post per year.
The ordinance, authored by councilors Vladimir Gonzalez and Renecito Novero, also states that the manager, administrator or head of office of utility companies, distributors of emergency power, owners/proprietor of buildings and their contractors found violating provisions of this local law will be fined P2,000 for first offense, P3,000 – second offense, P4,000 – third offense, and P5,000, or imprisonment of not more than six months, or both, for the fourth infraction.
“Electric and/or telecommunication, and cable television poles, posts, and towers, are sprouting everywhere in Bacolod…that pose hazard to traffic and on the safety of the public if not well regulated or maintained,” the ordinance said, adding it is for this reason that the City Government imposes such regulations.
The ordinance covers the construction, installation, and maintenance of electric and/or telecommunication, cable television, poles, posts, towers, within the territorial jurisdiction of Bacolod, except for those “erected or owned by the national government, its instrumentalities, and other local government units.”
The Office of the Building Official, in coordination with the City Engineer’s Office, will be tasked to initiate, establish, develop, or adopt and impose regulatory standards and regulations, based on approved national government policies in the construction, installation and maintenance of electric, telecommunication, television, and telephone poles or towers.
A regular inventory, evaluation, and monitoring of all electric, telecommunication, cable television poles, posts and towers in the City will also be made, with reports to be submitted to the City Assessor and Treasurer for the imposition of the mayor’s permit fee, added the ordinance, which will take effect 15 days after publication./CGC
