TACLOBAN CITY – Calls to remove utility poles blocking roads in Eastern Visayas snowballed following the death Wednesday, Nov. 9, of a police officer who crashed into an electric post in Santa Fe, Leyte.
Staff Sgt. Gary Cabujoc was on his way to the Police Regional Office-8 (Eastern Visayas) headquarters in Palo, Leyte from his hometown Barugo, Leyte on board a motorcycle when he hit a wooden pole while traversing the national highway in Barangay Pilit.
Police said there have been many reports of accidents due to utility poles unmoved since road widening activities were conducted.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-8 has disclosed that at least 8,736 electric posts are blocking the widened roads all over the region.
In the first district of Leyte where Cabujoc was killed, 535 electric poles are blocking roads.
Leyte III Electric Cooperative (LEYECO III) General Manager Allan Laniba had earlier said that they have been requesting funds for their transfer in budget hearings at the House of Representatives.
Laniba said they requested P562.84 million but only P48.93 million has been released from 2020 to 2021 and they are still waiting for the release of funds requested for 2022.
He lamented that the electric posts should have been removed first before the road widening since it is more expensive to move the poles after due to guidelines and procedures for relocation.