Across the Meralco franchise area, power and telecommunication lines that once formed messy webs above city streets are finally getting the cleanup they’ve long needed. One by one, poles are being cleared, cables are being organized, and skylines are slowly coming back into view—all part of a collaborative effort to make communities safer and more resilient before the next storm hits.

Leading the initiative is the Meralco Anti-Urban Blight Program, carried out in partnership with local governments, telecommunications companies. The program has already covered 60 cities and municipalities as of end-October, with more to follow as it expands to other cities and municipalities across franchise area.

“This is part of what we do every day to make our communities cleaner and safer,” said Froilan J. Savet, Meralco First Vice President and Head of Networks. “We work closely with LGUs, telcos, and the Bureau of Fire Protection to make sure our poles are clean, organized, and hazard-free.”

Preventing hazards before disasters strike

The program was born out of a simple but urgent observation: overloaded and uncoordinated wires were not only unsightly but dangerous. Many of these lines belonged to multiple service providers and had been installed without coordination, increasing the risk of fires, electrocution, and service interruptions.

By decluttering poles and ensuring only properly installed and labeled cables remain, Meralco and its partners are reducing both everyday safety risks and the likelihood of outages during heavy rains or typhoons.

“We consider this part of disaster preparedness,” Savet explained. “When we prevent hazards before they happen, we help communities stay connected and protected during emergencies.”

A city-by-city campaign

Since 2023, the Anti-Urban Blight Program has reached 58 cities and municipalities within Meralco’s franchise area, including Manila, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Pasay, Bacoor, and Valenzuela. Each city cleanup requires tight coordination among local governments, telcos, and barangay officials.

“We partner with LGUs down to the barangay level,” Savet said. “It depends on how open and ready the LGU is. Once they commit, we move quickly.”

Meralco plans to bring the program to all 114 cities and municipalities under its service area, expanding next to other provinces within the franchise area.

Cleaner cities, stronger communities

City residents are already seeing the difference: clearer streets, fewer dangling cables, and improved access for maintenance crews. The organized poles also support better broadband and telco service, aligning with local “smart city” goals.

For Meralco, the project ties directly into its broader resiliency and modernization framework, which includes stronger poles, elevated substations, and automated switching systems to minimize disruptions during natural disasters.

But beyond infrastructure, Savet said the initiative is about community partnership.
“We coordinate with other service providers so that everyone benefits — not just us, but the whole community,” he said.

As more cities join the movement, the cluttered skyline that once symbolized urban chaos is slowly giving way to something new — a cleaner, safer, and more connected metropolis built on cooperation and prevention.

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