A senator said the signing of the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act into law will “herald the rejuvenation” of the energy sector as it will streamline the processes involved.
Senator Win Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on energy, said the newly signed law that will put in place a web-based monitoring system that would eliminate “red tape in the energy sector” by streamlining the permitting process of power generation, transmission, and distribution projects.
“With this law in place, red tape in the energy sector will soon become a thing of the past as it promotes faster, simplified permitting process that would allow foreign and domestic investors with the capacity to build cutting-edge power plants to enter the market and stimulate competition in the Philippine energy generation industry,” Gatchalian said.
“With this law in place, red tape in the energy sector will soon become a thing of the past.”
“The increased competition would then drive down generation costs,” the legislator added.
The lawmaker estimated that a decrease in generation costs could lead to a reduction in consumer electricity prices by as much as P0.35 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
This means that an average household with a consumption rate of 200 kWh per month would have P840 in total savings every year, the senator noted.
“A household would have P840 in total savings every year.”
“Ito na ang hudyat ng pagkaroon ng mas murang kuryente sa bansa. Umaasa kami na ang iba pa nating mga panukalang batas na naglalayong mapababa ang singil sa kuryente, kasama na ang Murang Kuryente Act, ay pipirmahan din ng ating Pangulo sa mga susunod na araw (This signals the start of lower electricity rates in the country. We are hoping that other legislative measures that aim to bring down the cost of electricity, including the Murang Kuryente Act, would be signed by the President in the coming days),” he said.
Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last March 8, the EVOSS Act (Republic Act 11234) also aims to create unified forms to remove duplications and redundancies in the documentary requirements.
Under the new law, the EVOSS system will also have an online payment system where application fees for permits and certifications are fixed.
The EVOSS system applies to all new power generation, transmission, or distribution projects in the country and in national and local government units, including government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).
The Department of Energy is mandated to supervise the EVOSS system.
