SC upholds EO on energy project approval

The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld an executive order (EO) that seeks to speed up the approval of energy projects by creating the Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC).

In a 40-page decision, the high court en banc dismissed a petition filed by citizen groups asking the SC to stop the implementation of EO 30 through an environmental protection order.

According to the SC, EO 30 establishes the minimum guidelines to streamline and shorten the process of approving Energy Projects of National Significance.

“The Court shares the petitioners’ concern for the environment. It takes its role in the enforcement of the constitutional right to a healthful and balanced ecology very seriously,” the SC said in its decision.

“The contentions raised by the petitioners, though gallant, were regrettably misplaced. They failed to show that the issuance of EO 30 breaches the Constitution or that its issuance violated existing legislation or petitioners’ constitutional rights,” it added.

The petitioners had argued the EO goes beyond the President’s authority, violates their right to a healthy environment, and bypasses key environmental requirements, among others. 

In its ruling, the SC said the President’s power of control over the executive is translated into written policies through rulemaking.

“It is clear that EO No. 30 was issued pursuant to the President’s ordinance power. By virtue of his power of control and supervision over the executive department, the President can validly require his subordinates to act on a matter within a specified timeframe,” it said.

“In a broader sense, the President is empowered to streamline executive processes in the interest of economy and efficiency, provided that the exercise of these prerogatives operate within the framework of existing laws,” it added.

Aside from this, the court said the petitioners were unable to prove that the mechanisms available under existing environmental laws and regulations were rendered useless by the EO.

The decision was promulgated in November 2024 and published in April 2025. —RF, GMA Integrated News