Look! Plaza Roma as seen from a wireless Calle Aduana in Intramuros

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If you’ve ever wondered why it feels like you’re not in the Philippines whenever you’re in Rockwell or Ayala Alabang, that’s because those are the few places in Metro Manila that have spent for undergrounding.

The Intramuros Administration did the next best thing — it untangled and removed cables that were previously dangling from electrical posts along Calle Aduana. The wires were thrown away and services were hooked to nearby wires that are still up. But the ultimate goal is to bury them all undergound by 2016.

The photo above shows the “new look” of Plaza Roma, located across Manila Cathedral.

The project has been going on since 1973. IA’s Elroy Rendor tells Coconuts Manila that it’s been a difficult project invovling a lot of departments. Apart from the electrical and utility companies, the IA also had to get the Department Tourism, Tourism Infrastructure and the Enterprise Zone Authority on board.

“Plaza Roma is a very important place. That’s the core of our history, so it’s good to see that the government invested and is giving importance to it,” he says. Back in the Spanish era it was the center of the city, where bullfights were held.  

IA will be doing the same thing in General Luna Street, and we’re just hoping it won’t take them another 42 years.