THE National Economic and Development (NEDA) said that they are fast-tracking the executive order (EO) that will task agencies to expedite the processing of licenses, permits and other requirements for infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs).

NEDA said they expect this to be out by the end of the year.

"It's been with the Office of the President. So final review, final touches, as you know, before it gets signed by the President himself, it gets vetted by lawyers within the Office of the President," NEDA Undersecretary Joseph Capuno said.

"So it's been with them, and we expect the EO to be issued within the year very, very, very soon," he added.

Capuno also said that the EO willhelp them speed up the approval of the projects which had already gone through the NEDA board, and are already part of the infrastructure flagship projects.

"So from the LGU (local government unit), to national government agencies to [the] executive branch, regulatory agencies, whatever, all of them should, you know, expedite the approvals," he said.

Earlier, NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that the NEDA Board had confirmed the creation of the EO.

The EO will require all government offices, agencies and instrumentalities, including LGUs, to streamline the standard procedure and requirements for the IFPs.