Projects cleared for the Philippines' green lane program had reached P455.61 billion in value by the end of September, according to the Board of Investments (BoI).

The BoI said 26 projects were endorsed to the One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSAC-SI) during the first nine months of the year. These projects are expected to generate about 46,855 jobs.

Renewable energy (RE) accounted for the bulk of the new endorsements, with 21 projects certified for green lane treatment and valued at P450.25 billion. Two food security projects, together worth P980 million, also received green-lane status, as did one project each in digital infrastructure, manufacturing, and public-private partnerships (PPP) covering infrastructure and water.

The green-lane system, established in 2023 under Executive Order No. 18, is designed to expedite the permit and licensing processes for investments considered strategic.

From February 2023 to September 2026, the OSAC-SI classified 248 projects, valued at P6.43 trillion, as eligible for green lane treatment. The renewable energy sector dominates the cumulative pipeline, accounting for 76.61% of endorsed projects — 190 ventures with a combined value of P5.52 trillion. That lead is consistent with the sector's weight among this year's 26 endorsements.

Food security follows with 33 projects worth P19.68 billion, while digital infrastructure comprises 10 projects valued at P405.12 billion. Other sectors granted green lane status include manufacturing, with eight projects worth P67.33 billion; PPP, infrastructure and water, with six projects valued at P416.75 billion; and pharmaceuticals, with a single P50-million project.

By project status, 164 ventures valued at P5.52 billion remain in the pre-development stage, while 44 projects worth P366.07 billion are in the construction stage. The BoI added that 10 projects worth P241.43 billion are in the pre-operation stage, and 30 projects valued at P302.17 billion are operational. The breakdown offers a snapshot of where the pipeline stands across the implementation cycle, and how the large pre-development cohort advances is a point to watch in future BoI updates.

The agency also noted that the green lane initiative has achieved shorter permit and licensing facilitation. "Of the 122 permits processed, the average actual processing time was reduced to 7.67 days, significantly faster than the 19.12-day time prescribed under the Citizen's Charter," the BoI said. That gap against the Citizen's Charter benchmark is the measure by which the program's core objective — faster permitting for strategic investments — can be assessed.

Source: BusinessWorld, reporting by Beatriz Marie D. Cruz (bworldonline.com)