City Hall: Diversion Road Free From ‘Clotheslines’ by End-April

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo City government has announced that all overhead utility wires and cables along Diversion Road, officially known as Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Avenue, will be removed by the end of April 2025.

This comes after a three-month grace period granted to public utility companies to relocate their cables and clear the area.

“Following our meeting with public utility companies in January 2025, I would like to reaffirm our shared commitment to removing unsightly clotheslines along Benigno Aquino Avenue up to Christ the King,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said on Thursday, April 10.

The 17-kilometer Diversion Road is one of Iloilo City’s main thoroughfares, connecting the metro to Iloilo International Airport.

The plan to remove overhead wires was first discussed in January, with the mayor setting the end of April as the deadline for full dismantling.

“Their continued presence diminishes the aesthetic appeal of one of Iloilo City’s major thoroughfares,” Treñas said.

The Diversion Road clearing follows the successful removal of overhead wires along Calle Real (J.M. Basa Street) in the City Proper district, a key step in the city’s modernization and heritage preservation efforts.

“We remain steadfast in our efforts to preserve the cleanliness and visual order of our public spaces,” Treñas added.

“I call on all concerned stakeholders to support this initiative for the greater good of our city.”

The initiative is backed by City Regulation Ordinance No. 2023-006, which mandates utility providers to relocate their cables underground.

The ordinance covers areas such as Calle Real, Sunburst Park, Diversion Road, and other protected cultural and heritage zones.

The undergrounding project on Calle Real, led by MORE Electric and Power Corp., was completed in December 2024 at an estimated cost of PHP96 million.

However, the wire removal in the area faced some challenges, including service disruptions for PLDT internet and cable subscribers.