By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
PLDT has issued a formal apology for recent service interruptions in Iloilo City following a demand from Mayor Jerry Treñas for a written apology and a call for the resignation of the official responsible for the area if the demand was not met.
In a letter dated Jan. 6, Dennis Macapagal, PLDT’s Panay-Palawan Division head, apologized for the disruption caused by their cable clearing operations along J.M. Basa Street (Calle Real).
Macapagal explained that the interruptions stemmed from the replacement of older cables with new fiber cables to improve service quality.
“Briefly, to ensure better service moving forward, we decided to replace with higher-grade fiber some old fiber cables in the southern part of Calle Real,” Macapagal stated in his letter.
“Replacing the old cables that were still providing connectivity to some areas proved to be more complicated and time-consuming than expected and thus interrupted service during the implementation.”
Macapagal assured the public that most of the repairs had been completed and committed to finalizing the remaining work by the afternoon of Jan. 7.
He also promised that PLDT crews would remain on-site to address any unforeseen interruptions during the continuation of the cable clearing activities.
Mayor Treñas’s Demands
The apology followed a strong statement from Mayor Treñas earlier that day, calling for Macapagal’s resignation if a written apology was not provided by 5 p.m. on Jan. 6.
“[PLDT’s] relations officer came [to the city hall] to personally ask the mayor for forgiveness, but on Friday, the mayor demanded a written apology from PLDT to their affected subscribers,” said Treñas’s spokesperson, Joy Fantilaga. “This morning, the mayor said that if they could not give a written apology until 5 p.m., he would be demanding Dennis Macapagal’s resignation.”
The service interruptions occurred on Jan. 2, coinciding with the city government’s clearing operations of aerial cables along J.M. Basa Street as part of Iloilo City’s underground cabling ordinance.
Commitment to Improved Service
Macapagal emphasized PLDT’s commitment to improving its services in Iloilo City, including upgrading outdated cables to fiber-optic systems for more reliable connectivity. He apologized for the inconvenience caused to customers and vowed to address future challenges more effectively.
PLDT’s efforts come as Iloilo City continues to implement its underground cabling initiative to enhance aesthetics and minimize risks from overhead cables, which occasionally cause interruptions during clearing operations.
The company’s written apology and assurances of improved service were welcomed by local officials and subscribers who had been affected by the interruptions.
