Green Lane investments worth a total P5.52 trillion remain stuck in pre-development, exposing the gap between faster government approvals and actual project execution, while 10 renewable energy projects worth P137.47 billion have already been dropped after their service contracts were surrendered.
As of Aug. 31, the One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments had certified 244 projects worth P6.36 trillion, or USD111.93 billion, under Executive Order No. 18, with projected employment of 425,454.
Of these, 166 projects valued at P5.52 trillion, or about 87 percent of the total investment value, remain in pre-development. Another 46 projects worth P368.64 billion are under construction, while nine worth P190.21 billion are in pre-operation.
Only 23 projects valued at P286.17 billion are operational, accounting for about 4.5 percent of the total certified investment value.
The figures show that faster permits have yet to translate into a comparable acceleration in project execution, with most of the Green Lane pipeline still awaiting development milestones.
For 122 permits processed, average actual processing time fell to 7.67 days from the 19.12-day turnaround prescribed under the Citizen’s Charter. That represents a 59.9 percent reduction, or 11.45 days saved per permit.
Renewable energy accounts for the bulk of the portfolio, with 187 projects worth P5.46 trillion, or nearly 86 percent of total investment value.
But 10 renewable energy projects worth P137.47 billion were removed from the Green Lane list after their service contracts were surrendered, underscoring that certification does not guarantee project completion.
Foreign investments totaled P1.90 trillion, while Filipino investors accounted for about P4.46 trillion. Denmark was the largest foreign source at P472.46 billion, followed by Singapore at P370 billion and the Netherlands at P367.84 billion.
The numbers point to the next hurdle for the Green Lane program. The government has shortened permit processing times, but the bigger challenge is converting certified investments into projects, jobs, and actual economic activity.
