The Department of Energy and the Department of Public Works and Highways plan to issue a third joint circular to relocate over 50,000 electric poles obstructing national roads and highways.
The draft circular will provide a the mechanism for the immediate relocation of electric poles within the national government’s right of way and give a timeline.
Joint Circular No. 1, series of 2017, prescribed the uniform guidelines and procedures for the proper payment of compensation and recovery of cost to relocate electric cooperative and sub-transmission lines.
Section 13 of JC1 provides that “within one year from the effectivity of this joint circular, the National Electrification Administration and Electric Cooperative shall cause the removal and relocation of any improperly located facility in the government’s right-of-way, subject to payment of compensation provided in the circular”.
The DOE and the DPWH adopted Joint Circular No. 2 to extend the period of relocation of obstructing facilities provided in Section 13 of JC1, for up to Dec. 31, 2019. The deadline provided in JC2 lapsed while a significant number of poles remained in the government’s right-of-way that raised public safety concerns.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, in a hearing called by Senate Committee on Energy, raised concerns over the delay in the relocation of the poles. About 59,640 electric poles still need to be relocated and compensated, according to the NEA.
Under the proposed third circular, all relevant stakeholders recognize that the period provided in JC2 is not sufficient as relocation of the poles were not timely implemented because of circumstances beyond the control of the ECs and the concerned national government agencies.
“Considering that removal of the electric poles obstructing in the national roads and highways is still a primordial concern of the government, the IATF, in its Resolution No. 1 Series of 2020, recommended to dispense the classification and deadline of the submission of the requisites for the 59,640 electric poles endorsed by NEA, and extend the period of relocation set forth in JC1 and JC2, to accomplish the complete clearing of electric poles in the government’s right-of-way,” the circular read.
The IATF also recommended the adoption of a new DOE and DPWH joint circular to provide mechanisms and timeline for the immediate relocation of electric poles within the government’s right-of-way.