President Marcos Jr. yesterday directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to expedite the integration of all applications and permitting processes for energy projects under the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS).

“Continue to work on the processing, the change in the processing… permitting process. So, we try to get as close as possible to the simultaneous processing,” the President said during a sectoral meeting held in Malacanang.

The President received an update on the status of his directive, during his 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, about fast-tracking and streamlining of the integration of all applications and permitting processes of energy project applications.

The long permitting process and numerous permits and clearances required by government agencies have discouraged investors from doing business in the Philippines in the past.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the DOE would implement the President’s directives.

The DOE has been conducting focus group discussions and consultations, orientations, briefings, and information education campaigns, and user testing and hands-on-training, to expedite the full operationalization of the EVOSS.

It is also coordinating with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) on the issue.

The EVOSS, which was rolled out in July 2020, accepts online energy-related applications.

The government targets the integration of all energy-related processes by June 2028, but the full operationalization of the EVOSS System primarily depends on the readiness of the agencies and entities to be incorporated or integrated into the system.

As of Sept. 27, at least 56 out of 103 energy-related processes had been integrated into EVOSS.