LTFRB Tells Transportation Operators: Plant Trees Before Buying a Franchise

MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has ordered franchise applicants to plant trees in an attempt to boost the government’s reforestation program.

In a statement, LTFRB said that mandatory tree planting for public transport operators begins on December 1.

According to its memorandum issued on November 20, the agency revealed the following rules for planting trees:

1. Those who request a certificate of public convenience with at least 10 units. LTFRB said that one unit is equivalent to one tree.
2. Those requesting the extension of the validity of the CPC must plant trees. Each unit also equals one tree.

LTFRB said that transportation operators must coordinate with local government units as well as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for their tree planting activity.

LTFRB, which aims to plant 50,000 trees, said the mandatory tree planting came after most areas of Luzon were hit by Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulysses.

Edward Cabase, director of LTFRB Region II, recommended the idea. In Region II or Valle de Cagayán, Cagayán and Isabela were submerged by massive floods caused by the impacts of Typhoon Ulises.

Climate crisis

In a previous report, the Ecological Threat Registry (ETR) revealed that more than 1 billion people will be displaced from their homes in the next 30 years due to the climate crisis.

The report studied the risk profiles of 157 countries, including the Philippines, on threats such as population growth, water stress, food insecurity, droughts, floods, cyclones, and rising temperatures and sea levels. .

At least 60 percent of the countries in the report would face flood threats due to rising sea levels and temperatures.

In the report, the Philippines, in the ETR medium risk group, will face at least three ecological threats in the coming years.

CFC

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