Miscommunication blamed for tunnel power interruption

CEBU, Philippines - Miscommunication between the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management and the Visayan Electric Company has caused the power interruption at the Cebu South Road Property tunnel for eight hours the other day.

VECO spokesperson Theresa Sederiosa said that they have sent a prior advisory to CITOM before they implemented the scheduled power interruption last Sunday.

But CITOM Executive Director Rafael Christopher Yap said that VECO’s advisory dated January 2, did not mention that the tunnel will be included in the brownout.

VECO reportedly just stated in its advisory that it will have a tree wire line reconductoring along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, San Roque, Cebu City that resulted to a power interruption.

“The tunnel is located along M.J. Cuenco Avenue but maybe next time, we will make our advisory be more specific,” said Sederiosa.

Yap said that he cannot deploy CITOM personnel on conjectural basis especially that M.J. Cuenco Avenue has a long stretch.

“I hope next time, VECO will be more specific if the tunnel (electricity) will be turned-off because the tunnel is a vital piece of infrastructure,” Yap said.

Sederiosa added that they are having this reconductioning to insulate their wires along the tunnel in preparation for the upcoming Sinulog Festival.

As a result of the eight-hour power interruption, CITOM personnel were forced to conduct rerouting.

Yap added that the said incident has not caused so much hassles considering it was a Sunday and in order to avoid accidents inside the tunnel due to lack of power, a communication protocol has to be in place.

Marie Nillama, information officer of the Department of Public Works and Highways-7, also insisted that they have two generators intended for the tunnel in case of a brownout.

“Unsa man diay na ilang generator, dili na automatic mosiga ini’g brownout,” Yap asked.

DPWH is the one in-charge of tunnel’s maintenance. (FREEMAN)