National government agencies and the Cagayan de Oro (CDO) city government have partnered with a major telecommunications company to prevent fiber cable cuts linked to roadworks in Region 10 (Northern Mindanao).

An inter-agency task force led by Mayor Rolando Uy, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will ensure that fiber cables are not damaged during diggings and other road-related works, a press statement from Globe said.

“The collaboration was prompted by a spate of inadvertent fiber cuts due to diggings and other roadworks, with a total of 54 cases recorded in CDO from January to end-December 2024, the most in all of Northern Mindanao,” the statement added.

“With connectivity now a basic necessity, we must work together towards preventing downtimes caused by factors outside the scope of telco providers,” Joel Agustin, Globe’s head of service planning and engineering, said.

NTC-Region 10 Director Teodoro Buenavista Jr. said the task force will lead to faster coordination among its members, with the goal of making sure that road work plans consider underground and aerial cables to prevent fiber cuts.

“These unintentional yet highly disruptive fiber cuts are easily preventable through a simple solution: Talking to each other,” Buenavista said.

DPWH-Region 10 Director Lilibeth Aparecio ordered district engineers to coordinate with the task force.

“On the part of the DPWH, coordination with telecommunications companies like Globe has led to better planning. Our contractors know spots to avoid when doing road repairs and other roadwork,” she said.

From January until March this year, Globe has recorded 14 fiber cuts. (PNA)