QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. orders the establishment of ‘Green Lanes’ for strategic investments in government offices.

Executive Order No. 18 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on February 23, 2023 mandates all national government agencies (NGAs) and their regional and provincial offices, government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), local government units (LGUs), and other government instrumentalities to create green lanes that will fast-track the process of securing necessary licenses and permits for investments.

Strategic investments are those which are aligned with the Philippine Development Plan or any similar national development plan and are expected to contribute significantly to the Philippine economy by bringing significant capital or investments, contributing to the country's balance of payments, and improving the country's infrastructure capabilities. It will also be classified into three: (1) Highly desirable projects, (2) Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and (3) Projects or activities under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP).

Then, a One-Stop-Action-Center for Strategic Investments (OSAC-SI) shall be established by the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-BOI) within six months from the issuance of the EO to serve as the single point of entry for all projects qualified as strategic investments.

Whilst the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will provide to LGUs with the software for the computerization of the business permit and licensing system, with the help of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Moreover, Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also expresses the Department of Budget and Management’s full support and commitment to digitalizing government processes, records, and databases through e-governance as part of the administration’s agenda to promote bureaucratic efficiency. The FY 2023 National Budget will facilitate this transformation and digitalization of the government to streamline the bureaucracy.

The creation of ‘Green Lanes’ is consistent with the current administration's Eight-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and serves as a crucial part of its efforts to implement policy reforms that will facilitate ease of doing business in the Philippines. (KSAA – PIA CPSD)