The municipality of Naval in Biliran province will provide a 25-percent discount for the franchise registration and renewal of utility motorized tricycles this year.

Mayor Gerard Roger Espina said this was agreed upon during the regular session of the local council on Jan. 11 as assistance to the transport sector badly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“The discount is applicable to all fees until Feb. 20,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Among the payables regularly paid by applicants but would be discounted are the PHP400 annual supervision fee and the franchise fee of PHP1,750 per unit.

“We will also conduct a signature drive as we hope to submit a temporary restraining order for the mandatory emission test outside the province to ease the burden of our motorists amid the global health crisis,” Espina said.

To date, light vehicle owners in the province are required to undergo emission tests in Ormoc City in Leyte.

Naval, a second-class town with a population of 54,692 in 26 villages, is the capital of Biliran, one of the smallest provinces in the country. (PNA)