President Rodrigo Duterte showed his commitment to streamline the processing of permits for flagship infrastructure projects on water security through an administrative order addressed to government agencies.
On Wednesday, Administrative Order No. 32 was signed by the president that requires all government agencies to prioritize the review and approval of infrastructure projects related to water supply.
It provides for automatic approval to applications for permits, clearances, and authorization with complete requirements if a government agency fails to act on it within the prescribed period of time.
“There is a 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,” Duterte said in the order.
He also gave the Anti-Red Tape Authority the power to oversee the processing of local permits and barangay clearances in relation to the order.
Duterte had previously criticized water distributors over alleged onerous contracts, saying the companies were collecting fees for a sewage treatment plant despite their supposed failure to produce “even a can of clean water.”
He had also threatened water concessionaires with the “nationalization of water services” in their respective areas should they reject a new contract from the government.
