The House of Representatives has approved House Bill No. 7565, or the Safe Overhead Electric Distribution, Cable, and Communications Lines Act, mandating utilities to ensure the safety, maintenance, and orderly management of overhead power and communications lines.
The bill requires companies to conduct regular inspections, remove unused or dangling wires, secure active lines, replace damaged poles, and maintain proper clearances under the Philippine Electrical Code.
Violators face escalating fines from P250,000 for a first offense up to P2 million for repeated non-compliance.
The measure also empowers local governments to monitor compliance, with authority to inspect, enforce clean-ups, and deny permits to non-compliant utilities, while a national inter-agency committee will set uniform standards and coordinate nationwide efforts.
House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos said the bill aims to protect lives, safeguard property, and reduce hazards caused by tangled and unsafe overhead lines across the country.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 20, 2026
