Duterte wants faster review, approval of permits on water infra projects

FILE — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the IATF-EID core members at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City on August 24, 2020. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered government agencies to speed up the processing of permits for flagship infrastructure projects on water security.

Duterte, in his Administrative Order No. 32 made public Friday, required all government agencies to prioritize the review and approval of infrastructure projects on water security as identified by the National Economic Development Authority.

Under Duterte’s AO, applications for permits, clearances, and authorization submitted with complete requirements shall be deemed approved if a government agency fails to act on it within the prescribed processing of time.

In issuing the order, the President cited the need for the national government to “pursue institutional reforms such as streamlining processes of concerned agencies to encourage and guide investments in water supply, sewerage, and sanitation, and expedite the approval and processing of infrastructure flagship projects on water security while respecting property rights and protecting public safety and the environment.”

The Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects and NEDA are mandated to coordinate with the heads of the relevant issuing agencies to establish ways to expedite the issuance of licenses, clearances, permits, certifications, or authorizations.

Duterte likewise tasked the Anti-Red Tape Authority to oversee the processing of local permits and barangay clearances in relation to infrastructure projects on water supply.

CFC