Underground Cabling Project Along R. Magsaysay Avenue Now Complete
First Part. The 700-meter stretch from the Davao City Central Post Office to the corner of Chavez Street now has streetlights without overhead wires after the first part of the R. Magsaysay Avenue underground cabling project was completed last March 2025.
Ramon Magsaysay Avenue is a bustling Chinese-Filipino residential and commercial area in downtown Davao City. Locally known as Uyanguren Street, it is part of the city’s 44-hectare Chinatown, which holds economic and cultural significance. Today, the more than 1-kilometer thoroughfare breathes new life with a view free of poles and overhead power and telecommunications wires.
The Underground Cabling Project along R. Magsaysay Avenue was completed in June 2026. The first part, covering a 700-meter stretch from the Davao City Central Post Office to the corner of Chavez Street, was completed in March 2025. Meanwhile, the second part, which commenced in 2023, and covering another 700-meter stretch from the corner of Suazo Street to the corner of Quezon Boulevard near Magsaysay Park, was completed in June 2026.
The project brought together various government offices, utilities, telecommunications providers, private organizations, contractors, businesses, and residents. Participating organizations include the Davao City Mayor's Office, City Administration Office, City Engineer's Office, City Transport and Traffic Management Office, Public Safety and Security Command Center, Department of Public Works and Highways XI, Davao Light, Pole2Pole Inc., Davao City Water District, PLDT SMART, Globe Telecom, Dctech Micro Services Incorporated, Eastern Communications (ETPI), RISE, Infinivan, Converge ICT Solutions Inc., DITO Telecommunity, and the Davao City Chinatown Development Council.
A New Uyanguren Street. With the completion of the second part of the R. Magsaysay Avenue Underground Cabling Project last June 2026, the 700-meter stretch from the corner of Suazo Street to the corner of Quezon Boulevard near Magsaysay Park breathes new life with a view free of poles and overhead power and telecommunications wires.
“Since the first ordinance in 2014 for the pilot project around San Pedro Square, the Underground Cabling Project reflects a strong partnership between the public and private sectors, all working together to build a better Davao City,” Davao Light President Enriczar Tia said.
A long-term impact of the project is fewer emergency or unscheduled power interruptions. Since electrical wires are buried underground, transient faults caused by lightning surges and by objects or birds touching the wires are now less common. This further strengthens Davao Light’s power distribution network resiliency and reliability.
Moreover, the project aims to make the city more attractive to investors and tourists and to be the country’s model for underground cabling.
“We are proud that this initiative is being nationally recognized, with other local government units and agencies, even academic institutions, visiting Davao City to learn and benchmark this effort,” Tia added.
The underground cabling, which targets Quirino Avenue and C. Bangoy Sr. Street to be wire-free next, is a project by the Local Government of Davao under the City Ordinance No. 0152-17, Series of 2017, requiring all telecommunication companies, Davao Light, and all other persons involved to convert overhead lines to an underground system.
