SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has pressed the Department of Energy (DOE) to start implementing the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) Law to ensure the permitting process of power generation, transmission and distribution is unimpeded as the country remains in quarantine.
Gatchalian, the Senate committee on energy chairman and the principal author of the EVOSS Law which was signed into law early last year, stressed its importance especially during this time when online processing of requirements is crucial.
“At this time when social distancing is required, the EVOSS Law is a big help to provide continuity in processing energy-related permits online. EVOSS is the perfect tool for new normal,” he explained.
“The spirit of the EVOSS Law is really to get rid of the red tape in the energy sector by promoting a faster, practical and simplified process to ensure the quality, reliability and security of energy and expedite the process of supply to meet the country’s demand in a timely manner even during extraordinary times such as pandemics,” he added.
The law mandates the creation of a virtual storage of integrated shared services of all government offices, including government owned and controlled corporations and local government units involved in the process of power generation, transmission or distribution.
With this, people will not be compelled to be physically present in securing permits, Gatchalian noted.
Gatchalian has been urging the DOE to fully utilize this law even before the coronavirus pandemic, to ensure adequate power supply in anticipation of high demand during the summer but which was tempered by the health crisis.