Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Sunday said he wants the entire city lighted up, from major thoroughfares to barangay streets, as an anti-crime measure during nighttime and in continuance of his urban renewal and beautification program for the capital city.
One basic requirement for a peaceful, crime-free community is lighting, street lighting in particular. This is because a well-lit place discourages the commission of crime. And towards this end, the mayor trained his sights.
Adequate and working street lights also promote business and tourism, as residents and officials of any big city in the world will testify.
These are the underlying reasons why Mayor Joseph Estrada, who is now nearing his third and final term as mayor of the City of Manila, is pursuing the putting up of street lights in the city’s six districts.
Among the latest lighting projects finished by the City Electrician’s Office headed by Engr. Lorenzo Alconera are in Wagas St., from Moriones to Zaragosa, Zaragosa St. from Wagas to Luwalhati and Luwalhati St. from Zaragosa to Sandico, and Quezon St. from Moriones to C2 Capulong St., all in Tondo.
Others include Tomas Mapua St. from Alvarez to Ongpin, Antonio Rivera St. from Recto Ave. to Tayuman, Anonas and Hipodromo Streets in Sta. Mesa and Sergio Loyola St. from Recto Ave. to Matimyas St. in Sampaloc.
Engineer Alconera said all these new street lights use LED lamps that are environment-friendly, sturdy, and cheap to maintain, aside from their proven durability and reliability in giving the needed illumination in city streets.
“Every city street, district, zone and barangay is a priority in our street lighting program. Each area, whether residential, commercial, industrial, educational, tourist-oriented or religious and historical, is an important part of the city and will not be left out in this effort to light up Manila,” said Mayor Estrada.
Every Christmas season when thousands of Manilans and other residents flock to Divisoria in Tondo and Binondo to buy gifts and goods, the mayor sees to it that enough lighting facilities are installed in the said marketing areas.
In 2016, Estrada personally led the inauguration of 137 brand-new lamp-posts along Benavidez and Asuncion Streets in the Divisoria area. This is because the 1.5-kilometer length of the area was dimly lit then.
Since 2013, Estrada has embarked on a multi-million pesos street lighting program to light up the entire city, from major thoroughfares to small barangay roads, as an anti-crime measure and in pursuance of his sustained urban renewal and beautification program for Manila.
The mayor thanked the City Council of Manila for supporting his street lighting program every year through the allocation of an adequate item in the city budget. Every year, more than P100 million is allocated by the city government for its street lighting program.
The program has an original objective of setting up 2,938 units of street lights, and Alconera said his office under the City Engineer’s Office is on track in meeting this goal. The City Engineer’s Office is headed by Engr. Rogelio Legaspi.
Mayor Erap also quoted reports from barangay chairmen in the city’s six districts that the operation of the street lights has drastically reduced street crimes through the city, particularly at night time.
The project is also in line with the city government’s urban renewal program — which is aimed at reviving Manila’s old glory — that included improved landscaping, renovation of historic parks and monuments, and more convenient facilities.