Northern samar: A lawmaker in Northern Samar is pushing for higher allocation for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to capacitate the agency to focus on programs that support strategic investments and international trade promotion. During the House Committee on Appropriations budget deliberations on Aug. 27, Northern Samar 2nd district Rep. Edwin Ongchuan, vice chairman for the Committee on Appropriations, acknowledged the efforts of the DTI-Board of Investments (BOI) through the One-Stop-Action-Center for Strategic Investments (OSAC-SI), which plays a key role in facilitating Green Lane projects and easing the entry of major investments.

According to Philippines News Agency, the program remains underfunded, with only around PHP5 million in allocation and staffed largely by temporary personnel. Despite handling over 212 Green Lane projects, the office operates with very lean manpower, creating bottlenecks in the bureaucracy, Ongchuan said in a statement Thursday.

In addition to OSAC-SI, Ongchuan noted the limited budget for the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions and the Philippine Halal Industry Development Program. These initiatives are considered vital in assisting local exporters, particularly in accessing larger markets such as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, according to Ongchuan.

He made two clear manifestations during the hearing: first, to increase the budget for OSAC-SI and the Green Lane initiative; and second, to augment DTI's budget allocations for trade promotion and industry development. He also expressed full support for strengthening DTI's capacity to attract investments, promote exports, and generate broader economic opportunities.

Northern Samar is the first province in the country to establish a green lane system, which facilitated the entry of 14 major investments in the province in 2024. The green lane is a new process that seeks to streamline the process of obtaining business permits and licenses in Northern Samar.

The BOI earlier lauded Northern Samar for establishing a one-stop shop in the province that will result in an efficient and investor-friendly process for obtaining business permits and licenses at the town and village levels by having one point of transaction through the provincial capitol.