Published February 16, 2017, 10:01
PM By Myrna
M. Velasco
To prevent delay in projects, the
Department of Energy (DOE) is intending to take on the role of issuing
environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for such facility developments and
set it as a key provision in an Executive Order (EO) declaring energy projects
of national significance.
The department is similarly
targeting collaboration with 22 various government agencies to harmonize
provisions of the proposed EO.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi
told the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) that the energy projects
that shall be qualified under that category would be those having significant
contribution to the country’s economic growth and social development,
infrastructure development, of capital investment scale; and with impact to
balance of payment and the environment.
While the original target on the EO
issuance should have been yesterday, the energy chief noted that they are
eyeing approval and issuance of the EO by President Rodrigo Duterte within the
year. The proposed EO was already lodged with the Office of the Executive
Secretary.
“As soon as we get the EO, that will
expedite things because we are looking at requirements 2019 and beyond, we’re
doing that parallel to Ambisyon 2040,” or the platform of economic expansion
agenda of the Duterte administration.
Energy Undersecretary Felix William
Fuentebella said the major collaborations shall be with key agencies such as
with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); and the local government units.
For the other agencies, he noted
that harmonization of policies shall be done depending on the technology
deployment of projects – for instance, land issues with the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) for some facility developments, among others.
The energy officials said they will
also reinstate provision of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law on shielding
infrastructure projects from temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Courts.
Industry players in various segments
of the energy sector have long been lobbying for the issuance of an EO or
passage of a law that shall make project approvals and permitting systems
efficient and time-saving.
The EO, as they wished, may also
address the conflicting policies that various government agencies often
enforced on the approval of projects.
A parallel legislation is also being
pushed by Senate Committee on Energy Chairman Sherwin T. Gatchalian on such
policy of streamlining project approvals.
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