TAKING cue from the massive flooding in view of the denuded forests, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is putting in place a system that would see applicants for public transport franchises to plant a tree.
At the Laging Handa press briefing, LTFRB chair Martin Delgra said that applicants for public utility vehicle (PUV) franchises will also have to coordinate with their respective local government units (LGUs) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the new tree-planting requirement.
Citing Memorandum Circular 2020-076, Delgra said that the LGUs and the DENR have been given the marching order to designate places where the trees will be planted.
“They will have to coordinate with the LGU kung saan sila naka-base or with the DENR for the purposes of securing the seedlings na itatanim nila that will be designated by the LGU or DENR,” he said.
The new policy, which takes effect December 1, will cover franchise applicants either new or for renewal — for the next three months.
Covered under the memorandum are all applicants for a new Certificate of Public Convenience [CPC] with at least 10 units as well as all corporations and cooperatives applying for an extension of their CPC, regardless of the number of units.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier suggested tree-planting as a requirement for the issuance of a transport franchise in response to the massive flooding that hit Cagayan and Isabela provinces following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.
Malacañang has reiterated its support to the proposed policy.