THE Benguet Provincial Board is preparing to craft a local public transport plan (LPTP) as required under the guidelines of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
The local transport plan would identify available route, number of vehicles needed to operate and the issuance of franchises, said Provincial Board Member Juan Nazarro.
Nazarro, who chairs the committee on public utility, said part of the modernization program of Department of Transportation is to incorporate the preparation of route plans by local government units.
An LPTP will be prepared by the province if the roads covered by proposed route plans traverse two municipalities.
Local government units, however, need to prepare their own LPTP if the road is covered by only one municipality subject to the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board).
"We have an orientation seminar on the preparation of the local transport plan. The next step now is the actual preparation but it will take around two weeks and we are still requesting the DOTr to conduct the training workshop. They will explain the provision of the local transport plan then, they will prepare the LPTRP for each local government unit areas," said Nazarro.
Once the LPTP is approved, the lawmaker said there will be participation in the determination of the need for public utility vehicles.
"We will be avoiding so many franchises issued, we will be avoiding many public utility vehicles running within the LGUs," he added.
The lawmaker said he was coordinating with DOTr.
Earlier, he said the mayors, local council members and planning officers were briefed on their roles in the preparation of the route plan.
Under the modernization program, Nazarro said the design of jeepneys for flat lands would not be applicable in the highlands.
"We are saying iyong mga design sa baba hindi puwede sa amin. As of now hindi muna magmodernize sana," he added. "They are now making a design for highland however hindi pa tapos. As of now we have to wait, hopefully this year we have the design for highland and mountainous areas," Nazarro said.
"If they are not going to modernize, there is a possibility that their franchise will be given to other transport group who are willing to modernize their motor vehicle that's why there are transport group opposing the modernization," Nazzaro added.