1.    Background

1.1 The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has entered into an agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), through Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001 dated June 19, 2017, specifically,  as  regards  to  local  government  units  preparation, submission and adoption of Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP), basis for LTFRBs' issuance of franchises to public utility vehicles;

1.2 The LPTRP is a minimum requirement prescribed for the issuance of Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) franchises. It shall form part of the Local Transport Master Plan (LTMP) which relates land use to transport modes and provides measures for traffic management;

1.3 The plan to be formulated by the LGUs shall be guided by the Local Transport Route Plan (LTRP) Manual, copy of which is downloadable in the DOTr website (www.dotr.gov.ph). It shall detail the route networks, modes and required number of units per mode, to deliver public land transport services; and

1.4 The  preparation, submission, and  LGUs ™  adoption  of  the  plan,  after LTFRB ™s issuance of Notice of Compliance (NOC) as contained in the above-mentioned DOTr-DILG JMC, shall be guided by the following procedure and guidelines.

2.0 Purpose

This Memorandum Circular is being issued to ensure that all concerned are able to abide with the policies, processes and responsibilities in LGU Public Transport Route Planning

3.0 Policy Compliance

The issuance of this Circular is in support to the objectives of DOTr Department Order   No.   2017-011  or   the   Omnibus  Guidelines  on   the   Planning  and Identification of Public Road Transportation Services and Franchise Issuance, and in adhere to Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017-01 dated June 19, 2017.

4.0 Coverage

This Circular shall covers all DILG Regional Directors nationwide, except the Director  of  the  National  Capital  Region  (NCR),  Provincial  Governors,  City Mayors, Municipal Mayors, Presiding Officers of Sanggunians, and others concerned

Note: This excludes the DILG-National Capital Region, as it is the responsibility of the DOTr to prepare the Local Public Transport Route Plan for Metro Manila Urban Transport Integration Study Update and Capacity Enhancement Program (MUCEP) Study Area, composed of the 16 cities of Caloocan, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, Pasig, Para aque, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela, and the municipality of Pateros, and including adjoining cities and municipalities in its adjoining provinces (Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite) that constitute the geographical coverage of the MUCEP research.

5.0 Policy Content and Guidelines

5.1 All  Local  Chief  Executives  in  provinces,  cities  and  municipalities outside the MUCEP areas, being responsible for traffic and transport regulations in their respective areas are mandated to:

5.1.1  Mobilize an LPTRP Team composed of competent personnel from their respective offices of planning and development, engineering, and traffic management, who will be responsible for the preparation of the LPTRP;

5.1.2  Ensure the participation of the LPTRP Team in trainings and other capacity building activities to be conducted by the DOTr, to be facilitated by the LTRFB, and in coordination with the DILG Regional Offices;

5.1.3 Facilitate the review of all issued ordinances, orders, rules and regulations concerning local public transport routes by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod, or Sangguniang Bayan, as the case maybe, considered substantial inputs to the preparation of the LPTRP; and

5.1.3  Prepare  their  respective  LPTRPs  with  technical  assistance  of DOTr Focal Persons, to provide guidance regarding activities timelines, deadline of submissions, and other technical requirements.

5.2 Formulation and Adoption of the LPTRP by Local Government Units

5.2.1  City and municipal governments shall formulate the LPTRP for intra-city/intra-municipality trips. Provincial governments shall formulate the plan for trips between its component cities and municipalities per DOTr Department Order 2017-011, otherwise known, as the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG).

5.2.2 Provincial/city/municipal   governments   shall   prepare   their respective plans based on, and/or consistent with, the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) Manual. Copy of the Manual is downloadable in the DOTr website, www.dotr.gov.ph;

5.2.3 It shall be in strict adherence to the guidelines regarding the granting of franchises to tricycles prescribed in Section 3.1 of DILG-DOTC JMC No. 1, series of 2008. It shall be guided with the following provision of the JMC, to wit:

œTricycle operation should only be confined along city or municipal roads, not along national roads and is limited only to routes not traversed by higher modes of public transport. However, the local Sanggunian may allow if there is no other alternative route. 

5.2.4 The plan shall be prepared in consultation with the concerned stakeholders  within  LGU ™s  jurisdictions,  particularly  the commuters, transport groups, the academe, among others, incorporating their valuable inputs and comments.

5.3 Submission of the LPTRP by the Local Government Units to the DOTr, through the LTFRB Regional Offices

5.3.1  The Local Chief Executive shall submit their respective LPTRPs to the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board, copy furnished the concerned DILG Regional Office;

5.3.2  It shall ensure that the plan to be submitted has complied with the guidelines specified in the Manual. The plan is subject for the review of the LTFRB for issuance of either a Notice of Compliance (NOC), prior to LGU ™s adoption through an appropriate Ordinance, or a Notice of Non-Compliance (NONC) detailing all points and/or concerns for revision by the LGU; and

5.3.3  It shall be noted that all approved LPTRP shall be one of the bases of the government's prioritization of road transport network development projects, in general.

To highlight the process of approval of the LPTRP, below is a matrix indicating the steps and agency responsible:

5.4 DILG Regional Offices are mandated to undertake the following:

5.4.1  Designate a focal person who will be in-charge of the activities in the region, and ensure participation to the Local Transport Planning Capacity-Building Activity and other related trainings, conducted by the DOTr and its subsidiaries;

5.4.2  Cause the immediate and widest dissemination of the DOTr-DILG JMC 2011-1 dated June 19, 2017;

5.4.3  Monitor the review and amendment by LGUs of their ordinances, orders, rules and regulations concerning local public transport routes which are inconsistent with current policies, standards and limitations on public transport;

5.4.4  Facilitate ensuring the attendance of concerned LGU personnel to the LPTRP trainings and other related capacity building activities conducted by the DOTr, in coordination with the LTFRB Regional Offices; and

5.4.5 Assist in the immediate resolution of issues related to the non- submission of the LPTRP of all Provincial, City and Municipal Governments within their respective jurisdictions.

6.0 Penal Provisions

Non-compliance with this Memorandum Circular is tantamount to dereliction of duty and shall be dealt with in accordance with applicable Civil Service Rules and Regulations, and other pertinent laws, rules and regulations.

7.0 Effectivity

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

8.0 Approving Authority


9.0 Feedback

For related queries, kindly contact the Bureau of Local Government Supervision at Telephone Nos. 441-91-00 Local 4203, or (02) 928-91-81, or email at tsg blgs@yahoo.com