Section 4Sec./Art. 4

Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following words or terms shall have the following meaning, unless provided otherwise:

(a) Action refers to a decision on an application of a proponent by a government bureau, office, agency, GOCC, LGU, or other entities involved in the permitting process of a power generation, transmission, or distribution project: Provided, That such decision is limited to the approval or disapproval of an application;

(b) Bidding documents refer to documents issued by a procuring entity as the basis for bids, furnishing all information necessary for a prospective bidder to prepare a bid for the goods, infrastructure projects, and consulting services to be provided;

(c) Distribution projects refer to the financing, development, construction, and/or operation of any distribution system or facilities and its associated equipment;

(d) Distribution system or facilities refer to the system of wires and associated facilities belonging to a franchised distribution utility extending between the delivery points on the transmission system or generating plant connection, and the point of connection to the premises of the end user;

(e) Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop or EVOSS refers to an online system that allows the coordinated submission and synchronous processing of all required data and information, and provides a single decision-making portal for actions on applications for permits and/or certifications necessary for, or related to, an application of a proponent for new power generation, transmission, or distribution projects;

(f) Government agency refers to the agency of the government as defined in Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the "Administrative Code of 1987";

(g) Joint Congressional Power Commission or JCPC refers to the Commission created under Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the "Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001";

(h) Market operator refers to the entity responsible for the operation of the spot market in accordance with Section 30 of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the "Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001";

(i) Mother agency refers to the department, which has jurisdiction over bureaus, offices, agencies, and GOCCs assigned to it by law in accordance with the applicable relationship as defined in Chapters 7, 8, and 9, Book IV of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the "Administrative Code of 1987";

(j) Permit or certification refers to the written document authorizing a person or entity to conduct specified activities in a specified area or industry for a specified period of time, involving specified goods and/or services as required by law, rules, and regulations;

(k) Permitting process refers to the comprehensive procedure undertaken in order to put up a power generation, transmission, or distribution project including the following phases: acquisition of an operating contract or service contract, pre-development, and construction of a power plant including the date of commercial operations thereof, as well as all the required documentary requirements and fees from all government agencies involved in such procedure: Provided, That the procedure excludes the operational phase of the project;

(l) Power generation system and facilities refer to generation facilities of all types, technology or resource, including conventional, renewable, hybrid facilities, and all types of storage facilities;

(m) Power generation projects refer to the financing, development, construction, and/or operation of any power generation system and facilities;

(n) Procuring entity refers to any branch, department, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, including state universities and colleges, GOCCs, government financial institutions, and LGUs procuring goods, consulting services, and infrastructure projects;

(o) Proponent refers to an individual or duly recognized juridical entity engaged or desiring to engage in trade or business in the Philippines through a power generation, transmission, or distribution project such as the construction and/or operation of a power plant, transmission line, or distribution line;

(p) Submission of an electronic document happens when an automated response acknowledging the electronic document has been sent to and received by the proponent: Provided, That the electronic document has been earlier uploaded or sent to the system by the proponent;

(q) System operator refers to the party responsible for generation dispatch, the provision of ancillary services, and operation to ensure safety, power quality, stability, reliability, and security of the grid;

(r) Transmission system or facilities refer to the high voltage backbone system of interconnected transmission lines, substations, and related facilities for the purpose of conveyance of bulk power; and

(s) Transmission projects refer to the financing, development, construction, and/or operation of any transmission system or facilities.

CHAPTER II

ENERGY VIRTUAL ONE-STOP SHOP