Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is positive that business players will be encouraged to invest in the country’s energy market as the government starts the implementation to eliminate red tape in the sector.
Gatchalian said that this is a “forward-looking approach to addressing the bureaucratic inefficiencies which have hampered investments in the Philippine energy sector for a long time.”
Gatchalian added that Executive Order No. 30 is a big step in addressing the country’s energy sector red tape. EO 30 streamlines the permitting process of big-ticket energy projects and mandates strict timeframes for governments to take action on applications sent to their offices.
“EO 30 is a signal to investors that the Philippines is serious about addressing red tape in the energy sector. The executive order will help address immediate red tape concerns in the permitting process of energy projects while the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act of 2017, which I have already sponsored on the Senate floor, makes its way through the legislative process,” Gatchalian said.
The EVOSS Act, which is a part of Gatachalian’s legislative agenda for the energy sector, eyes to cut the red tape in the permitting process of new power projects through an online system that would allow for single submission and synchronous processing of documentary requirements, assessment and payment of charges and fees, status updates and progress monitoring, and a synchronized permitting approval process.
“EO 30 and the EVOSS Act are complementary reforms which will facilitate the entry of more players into the Philippine energy sector. This, in turn, will boost competition, resulting in a more stable power supply and cheaper power costs for consumers.” Gatchalian said.
The senator added that the EVOSS can widen the scope of reforms under the EO 30, including new technologies that will help streamlining the process of project approval.
“The Duterte administration and the Senate are working hand in hand to provide sufficient and affordable electricity to the Filipino people. Addressing bureaucratic inefficiencies by eliminating red tape will help us achieve this goal. There is much work left to do, but it is clear that we are heading in the right direction,” Gatchalian said