BOI certifies P4.5 trillion projects for green lane processing

MANILA, Philippines — The government has certified P4.51 trillion worth of projects to go through green lane services for faster processing of licenses and permits, according to the Board of Investments (BOI).

Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr., director of the BOI Investment Assistance Service, told reporters that the agency has certified 173 projects for green lane processing as of Dec. 20.

Under Executive Order (EO) 18 issued in February last year, green lanes were created to fast track the processing of licenses and permits for strategic investments that are expected to support economic growth.

The renewable energy (RE) sector accounted for the bulk of the projects certified for green lane services.

In particular, 139 RE projects with investments worth P4.11 trillion have been certified for green lane processing.

Also certified for green lanes are 22 food security projects with investments amounting to P13.95 billion.

Likewise, eight digital infrastructure projects worth P352.13 billion and four manufacturing investments amounting to P36.91 billion were endorsed for green lane processing.

Delos Reyes said five of the certified projects, including the Calabanga Solar Farm in Camarines Sur and Bugallon Solar Farm in Pangasinan, are already operational.

While some projects were initially expected to be operational this month, he said conditional approvals have allowed them to move faster.

While the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act already provides timelines for the processing of licenses and permits, BOI Investment Assistance Center executive director Bobby Fondevilla said that EO 18 serves as a reminder to all national government agencies, particularly at the provincial or the regional level, as well as to local government units.

“The beauty of EO 18 may be seen in the aspect of our regular reporting to the Office of the President,” he said, noting any delays can be addressed immediately due to the reporting system.

While EO 18 is in effect, the BOI is supporting the approval of House Bill 8039, which seeks to institutionalize the green lanes to ensure strategic projects are implemented without delay.