GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 12 Feb) — The city government upgraded the street lighting systems in three major roads here as part of its continuing P90-million city street light project.
Engr. Francisco Provido, chief of the City Engineer’s Office, said Monday they have completed the installation new street lights along the Pioneer Avenue in the city proper and two other road networks.
He said the project involved the installation of additional light posts, transformers and energy-efficient light-emitting diode or LED lamps.
City officials unveiled late last week the new street lights from Pioneer Avenue to Pedro Acharon Boulevard and from Barangays Batomelong to Upper Labay and up to Malandag Road.
The local government is scheduled to formally light up next week the additional street lights along the Philippine-American Avenue going to the city airport in Barangay Fatima.
Provido said they are targeting to fully replace all existing sodium lights in the city with LED lamps to reduce the local government’s electricity and maintenance expenses.
“When compared with sodium lights, the LED lamps are practically maintenance-free” he said in a statement.
The city government, through Mayor Ronnel Rivera, started upgrading the city’s street lighting system in 2013 in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and power distribution utility South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II).
DPWH put up the light posts while Socoteco II provided free transformers and electric metering services.
The project initially covered the outskirt highways, roads in the city’s boundary areas and remote communities.
It expanded last year to roads within the city’s downtown area, among them the Pioneer Avenue.
Pioneer Avenue is located within the city’s main commercial area and part of the roads surrounding the city government center.
Elmer Catulpos, president of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., lauded the completion of the street lighting projects, noting that they were part of their “wish lists.”
He reiterated their support to the project’s expansion to other vital road networks within the city’s 26 barangays. (MindaNews)