The Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing for legislation that would protect and facilitate investments in the construction of energy projects. Jesus Tamang, DOE director for energy policy and planning bureau, said the DOE a law should be passed making the construction of energy facilities as projects of national significance where the issuance of permits is hastened and right-of-way issues are resolved. In addition, Tamang said the DOE wants to add energy as another classification for land use to provide more sites for these projects. “Declaring energy projects as projects of national significance can ease developers and lessen various requirements needed at the level of local government units. If this provision or this law is passed, resolving right-of-way issues or even land use classification will be easier. It would be less of a problem in acquiring the land and related requirements in the development of energy infrastructures,” Tamang said.
From Malaya, Business/A2