BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory-Cordillera Administrative Region (LTFRB-CAR) awarded the Compliance Certificate to the municipal government concerning the approved Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) of the municipality on April 21, 2022, at the Mayor’s Conference Hall of the Bontoc Municipal Capitol.
Lalaine Sobremonte, Officer in Charge-Regional Director of LTFRB-CAR, awarded the Compliance Certificate to Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen who represented Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey.
The awarding was witnessed by elective officials of Bontoc, department heads and unit heads of the municipal government, LPTRP Bontoc Team, and personnel from the LTFRB-CAR.
According to Pablito Ing-inga of the Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO), the first draft of the LPTRP was submitted to the LTFRB-CAR on June 15, 2019. After a series of transactions thru emails and written documents, the MPDO then submitted the second draft on September 20, 2021, but a slight revision of the LPTRP was recommended by the LTFRB-CAR. The third and final draft was then turned over on January 18, 2022.
Miguel Camil of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) -LTFRB-CAR congratulated the Bontoc LGU for a job well done since the municipal government received their compliance certificate after only three drafts, compared to the usual five to six drafts their agency experienced from other local governments.
Planning Officer Mervin Kay Abenoja of the LTFRB-CAR mentioned that the municipality now has eight existing routes namely; Poblacion-Guina-ang and Vice Versa, Poblacion-Maligcong and V.V., Poblacion-Mainit and V.V., Poblacion-Dalican and V.V., Poblacion-Bayyo and V.V., Poblacion-Caneo and V.V., Poblacion-Talubin and V.V., Poblacion-Talubin and V.V., and one new and developmental route from Poblacion-Balili and V.V. Abenoja lauded the Bontoc LGU for being one of the first local governments to submit the LPTRP.
PUVMP Focal Person Elmer Mendoza, Jr. advised the municipal government to revisit the plans for further development.
In a separate interview, Mayor Franklin Odsey, who had to attend an equally important event, expressed his gratitude to the LTFRB-CAR for the awarding of the said certificate on LTPRP.
“12 barangays in our municipality are situated at least six kilometers away from Poblacion, Bontoc thus, a concrete and rational transport plan is needed to provide a more efficient service to our constituents,” the mayor said.
Sangguniang Bayan Member John Pelew joined Odsey in extending his gratitude to the LTFRB-CAR and the municipal government workforce for the finalization of the LPTRP.
“Our receipt of this certificate of compliance is not the end since planning should be continuous and be strictly implemented,” he said.
Sangguniang Bayan Member Viola Okko thanked the LTFRB-CAR and congratulated the members of the LPTRP for their prompt compliance.
“Keep up the good work and continue planning and implementing the plans for the betterment of our municipality,” she added.
Meanwhile, the municipal government, through the Office of the Sangguniang Bayan, turned over the Ordinance No. 357, S. 2022 entitled “An Ordinance Adopting the Local Public Transport Route Plan for the Municipality of Bontoc, Mountain Province for the Year 2022” to the LTFRB-CAR. The ordinance was promptly submitted as a requirement after the awarding of the certificate.