Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2781 
Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. VINCENZO 
RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA, AND 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The proposed Green Lanes for Strategic Investments Act aims to boost the economic 
growth of the country by streamlining the process for international trade through the 
establishment of green lanes with the main goal of attracting foreign investors and their 
businesses. In this way, more employment opportunities will be generated for the Filipinos that 
will aid them with their standard of living and improve their quality of life. 
This measure supports Executive Order No. 18 (E.O. No. 18) entitled “Constituting 
Green Lanes for Strategic Investments,” to streamline the process of securing licenses and 
certifications for strategic investments aligned with the Philippine Development Plan through 
the establishment of green lanes across all national government agencies, GOCCs, and 
LGUs. E.O. No. 18, s. 2023 was one of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s initiatives to aid 
the country with its mandate.  
These green lanes are beneficial to avoid corruption and promote transparency, as well 
as prevent red tape bureaucracy in processing strategic investments in sectors such as clean 
energy, electric vehicles, medicines, electronics, hospitals, amongst others. Through these 
green lanes, foreign investors will highly consider the Philippines given the simplicity of 
securing the necessary documentations to start their businesses or corporations in the 
country.  
Through E.O. No. 18, s. 2023, the Board of Investments (BOI) of the Department of 
Trade and Industry established the One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments in 
support of policy as a single-point entry for all projects qualified as Strategic Investments 
before endorsing them to concerned National Government Agencies, LGUs, and other quasi-
judicial bodies to process the necessary permits and licenses needed for its commencement. 
According to BOI, from 2024 to 2025, numerous strategic investments had benefited the 
green lanes, mostly in the renewable energy sector. As of May 2025, the BOI had already 
endorsed 203 projects totaling an investment in the country of P5.17 trillion which generated 
more than 300,000 jobs.  
Therefore, to give this policy a backbone in the entire country, the immediate passage 
of this bill is earnestly sought. 
July 31, 2025
10:47 am


HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
HON. VINCENZO RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE 
HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 2781 
Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. VINCENZO 
RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA, AND 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 
AN ACT FURTHER PROMOTING THE ENTRY AND GROWTH OF STRATEGIC 
INVESTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE THE GREEN 
LANES FOR STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Green Lanes for Strategic 
Investments Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby the policy of the State to attract possible 
investors by streamlining the process needed to secure the issuances of permits, licenses, 
certifications, or authorizations that will convince them to invest in the Philippines on certain 
strategic investments in the country, especially those reflected in the Philippine Development 
Plan. Through this initiative, the initial goal of boosting the economic growth and creating 
employment opportunities for the Filipinos will be more achievable and attainable. 
Furthermore, the State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the 
prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies 
that will provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, 
and an improved quality of life for all. 
SECTION 3. Coverage. – This Act covers all national government agencies (NGAs) and their 
regional and provincial offices, government-owned or - controlled corporations (GOCCs), and 
other government instrumentalities, as well as local government units (LGUs), involved in the 
issuance of permits, licenses, certifications or authorizations, collectively referred to herein as 
"permit/s and/or license/s" covering Strategic Investments specified under Section 4 hereof. 
SECTION 4. Strategic Investments. – Strategic Investments are those which are aligned 
with the Philippine Development Plan or any similar national development plan; and can be 
characterized by the significant capital or investment to the country; consequential economic 
impact; positive impact on the environment; significant contribution to the country's balance of 
payments; with complex technical processes and engineering designs; and will bring about 
improvement in the country's infrastructure capabilities. 
For purposes of this Act, Strategic Investments shall include the following: 
(a) Highly Desirable Projects – Investment Projects recommended by the Fiscal
Incentives Review Board to the President for modification of incentives or the crafting
of the appropriate financial support package based on defined development strategies


 
for creating high-value jobs, building new industries to diversify economic activities, 
and attracting significant foreign and domestic capital or investment, and the fiscal 
requirements of the activity or project, as provided under Section 301 of Republic Act 
(RA) No. 11534 or the "Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises 
(CREATE) Act." 
 
(b) Foreign Direct Investments – Foreign Direct Investments are those resulting from 
the implementation of the Foreign Investment Promotion and Marketing Plan, as 
endorsed by the Inter-Agency Investment Promotion Coordination Committee. 
 
(c) Projects or activities under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) – Local 
or foreign investments on activities considered projects of national significance or 
highly desirable, and which falls under the priority sectors or industries included in the 
SIPP formulated by the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-
BOI) and approved by the President in accordance with Section 300 of RA 11534. 
These projects cover registrations under the DTI-BOI or other Investment Promotion 
Agencies. 
 
SECTION 5. Single Point of Entry. – Within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, the 
DTI-BOI shall establish a One-Stop-Action-Center for Strategic Investments (OSAC-SI), which 
shall serve as the single point of entry for all projects qualified as Strategic Investments. 
 
 
The OSAC-SI shall address investor concerns starting with identifying and designating 
an investment as Strategic Investment under this Act and endorse the same to concerned 
NGAs, LGUs, or quasi-judicial bodies for processing of permits and licenses, and monitoring 
and reporting of actions taken thereon. The OSAC-SI shall include aftercare or post-
investment assistance as part of its services. 
 
 
Within three (3) months from the issuance of this Act, the DTI-BOI shall produce and 
regularly update an investor manual or guidebook or its equivalent, containing the list of 
government requirements for the establishment of Strategic Investments per sector, as well 
as the concerned NGAs, LGUs, or quasi-judicial bodies issuing the relevant permits and 
licenses. 
 
 
The DTI-BOI will be supported by additional manpower, including the designation of 
Account Officers for Strategic Investments, as well as the equipment necessary to 
operationalize the OSACSI, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management. 
 
SECTION 6. Green Lanes for Strategic Investments. – The concerned NGAs, including 
their regional and provincial offices when applicable, LGUs, and quasi-judicial bodies shall 
establish or designate, whichever is applicable, a Green Lane within their offices in charge of 
expediting and streamlining the processes and requirements for the issuance of permits and 
licenses of Strategic Investments endorsed by the OSAC-SI. The said Green Lane shall be 
integrated and shall not be duplicative of the existing one- stop shops or one-stop action 
centers established under existing laws such as, RA 11534, RA 11234 or the "Energy Virtual 
One-Stop Shop Act," and RA11032. 
 
 
For this purpose, the above agencies or offices shall designate an account officer for 
the Green Lane, who is responsible for coordinating with the OSAC-SI, relevant government 
offices or agencies in streamlining and simplifying business permitting and licensing 
processes, and recommending modifications or amendments to existing procedures that are 
outdated, redundant, and adds undue regulatory burden and cost to the transacting public, in 
coordination with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA). 
 


 
SECTION 7. Action on the Application. – Concerned NGAs and LGUs shall act on the 
applications for the issuance of a permit or license within the prescribed processing time 
provided in the concerned agency or LGU's Citizen's Charter (original period), which shall not 
be longer than three (3) working days in the case of simple transactions, seven (7) working 
days in the case of complex transactions, and twenty (20) working days for highly technical 
transactions from the date the complete application was received. The said prescribed 
maximum processing period may be extended only once for the same number of days, 
provided the same is indicated in the Citizen's Charter (extension period), pursuant to Rule 
VII, Section 3(b) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11032. In all cases, denial 
of such application shall be made in writing within the same period prescribed. 
 
 
Consistent with Section 10 of RA 9485, as amended, the complete application for the 
issuance of a permit or license shall be deemed approved in case of failure of the NGA or 
LGU to act, whether to approve or disapprove, on said application. An application shall be 
considered "complete" when all the documentary requirements indicated in the respective 
Citizen's Charters are submitted and the required fees and charges are duly paid. Imposition 
of additional requirements other than those listed in the Citizen's Charter and imposition of 
additional costs not reflected in the Citizen's Charter shall be punished in accordance with 
Sections 21 and 22 of RA 9485, as amended However, with respect to applications for 
registration and tax incentives under RA 11534, the same shall not be deemed approved in 
case of failure of the NGA or LGU to act on said applications. 
 
SECTION 8. Issuance of Permits and Licenses. – After the lapse of the original or extension 
period under Section 7 of this Act, the NGA or LGU shall issue the requested permit or license, 
otherwise, the DTI-BOI shall endorse the case to the ARTA. Upon receipt of the endorsement, 
together with the presentation of the acknowledgment receipt and/or official receipt of the 
payment of the necessary license or permit fees, and other transaction costs, and upon due 
investigation and verification that the applicant has indeed fully submitted all necessary 
documents and paid all the required fees, the ARTA shall issue a declaration of completeness 
and order the concerned office or agency to issue the appurtenant approval, extension, and/or 
renewal of the license, clearance, permit, certification, or authorization which is deemed 
approved pursuant to Section 10 of RA 9485, as amended. 
 
 
The above mechanism shall likewise apply to issuance of a license or permit by quasi-
judicial bodies consistent with Rule VIII Section 1 (b) of the Implementing Rules and 
Regulations of RA 9485, as amended. 
 
SECTION 9. Simultaneous Processing of Applications. – The NGAs and LGUs that receive 
applications for permits and licenses shall process the same with the presumption that the 
relevant documents from other agencies have already been issued consistent with Rule VII 
Section 3(c) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9485, as amended. The 
applicant shall execute an affidavit of undertaking, using the template prescribed by the DTI-
BOI, that it has secured the relevant documents from specific NGAs or LGUs and/or that it 
shall submit the complete documentary requirements within thirty (30) working days. For this 
purpose, the concerned NGAs or LGUs may coordinate with other relevant offices or agencies 
to check or verify the status of applications for related permits or licenses to avoid delay in 
their own evaluation of applications pending with them. The NGA or LGU concerned shall then 
issue the corresponding permits or licenses, with an annotation that it shall be subject to the 
completion of requirements covered by the undertaking. 
 
SECTION 10. Monitoring. – Each concerned NGA, LGU, or quasi-judicial body shall submit 
to the DTI-BOI monthly updates regarding the status of applications received and acted upon 
involving Strategic Investments covered under this Act. 
 


 
SECTION 11. Electronic Submission. – The concerned NGA or LGU shall enable the 
electronic submission of application for, and issuance of, license, clearance, permit, 
certification or authorization, including payment and issuance of receipts, whenever 
applicable. 
 
 
All remaining cities and municipalities that have yet to comply with Section 1 I(c) of RA 
9485, as amended, shall facilitate the computerization of their respective business permit and 
licensing systems. To this end, the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT) shall make available to LGUs the software for the computerization of the 
business permit and licensing system. The DICT, DTI, and Department of the Interior and 
Local Government (DILG), shall provide technical assistance in the planning and 
implementation of a computerized or software-enabled business permitting and licensing 
system of LGUs. 
 
SECTION 12. Technical Working Group. – A Technical Working Group (TWG) is hereby 
created as an oversight body that shall ensure the implementation of this Act. The TWG shall 
be headed by the DTI-BOl with the representatives from the following agencies as members: 
(i) DTI; (ii) DILG; (iii) Department of Finance (DOF); (iv) National Economic and Development 
Authority (NEDA); and (v) ARTA. 
 
 
The TWG shall act on complaints and take appropriate actions, consistent with their 
respective mandates, against third-party business consultants engaged by foreign and local 
investors who act in violation of RA 9485, as amended, or prejudice the interest of the project 
proponents and/or the government. 
 
 
The DTI OSAC-SI Account Officers and the action officers of NGAs, LGUs, GOCCs 
and other government instrumentalities, shall directly coordinate with each other to ensure the 
successful implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 13. Agency Support. – All concerned NGAs, GOCCs and instrumentalities, and 
LGUs, are hereby directed to provide the necessary assistance and support for the successful 
implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 14. Reporting. – The DTI-BOI shall submit regular reports on the implementation 
of this Act to both Houses of Congress. 
 
SECTION 15. Funding. – The funds necessary to support the operation of the Green Lanes 
shall be sourced from the existing budget of the concerned agencies or offices. The funding 
requirements of succeeding years shall be included in their respective budgets, subject to the 
regular budget process. 
 
SECTION 16. Sanctions. – Failure to comply with the provisions of this Act shall be a ground 
for administrative or disciplinary sanctions against any erring public official or employee, as 
provided under existing laws and regulations, without prejudice to criminal, civil or other related 
liabilities under existing laws. 
 
SECTION 17. Separability. – If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, 
the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 18. Repeal. – All orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof that are 
contrary to, or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or 
amended accordingly. This Act is consistent with and shall not supplant the other streamlining 
initiatives of the government covered by existing laws and previously issued executive orders. 
 


 
SECTION 19. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,