Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua renewed his push for “targeted and phased underground power lines and telecommunications cables to ensure continuing operations of critical services and survival residents in high risk calamity zones.”
“Initially, we only need to have the underground utilities in the town centers of municipalities and cities, especially those on the eastern seaboards of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. If proof of concept is needed first, the downtowns of the capitals of the provinces of Catanduanes, Batanes, Albay, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Agusan, Surigao, and Dinagat can be the pilot areas before a large scale rollout,” Chua explained.
“For coastal towns that are usually landfall areas of typhoons, solar panels and internet satellite dishes can be installed.”
“For coastal towns that are usually landfall areas of typhoons, solar panels and internet satellite dishes can be installed, with retractable platforms, in protective domes that can withstand winds in excess of 250 kph,” the legislator said.
According to the lawmaker, strategic cities like Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Tuguegarao, Ilagan, Dagupan, and Iloilo should also have underground utilities.”
“It is long overdue for our country to have underground utilities as systemic adaptation and mitigation measures to ensure continuity of public services and critical infrastructure,” he said.
“We must work smart more than work hard.”
“Continuity should replace rebuilding and repairs after typhoons in strategic locations. This would be clear proof that we learn the lessons of the past. We must work smart more than work hard,” Chua concluded.
