Section 37Sec./Art. 37

Responsibilities of Permit Holders. - A Permit Holder shall have the following responsibilities:

(a) Align all goals, objectives, and accomplishments with the declared policies of this Act and the PEP;

(b) Take direct responsibility and accountability for the construction, operation, and maintenance of PDNGI Facilities by providing the necessary services, technology, and financing, either by itself or through its duly authorized contractors;

(c) Secure a permit before engaging in any activity relating to siting, construction, operation, and maintenance, expansion, modification, rehabilitation, decommissioning, and abandonment of PDNGI Facilities;

(d) Comply with regulatory obligations, maintain complete records, and submit all reportorial requirements and other documents as may be required by the DOE and other government agencies pursuant to this Act and its IRR;

(e) Comply with the standards on natural gas quality, facility, construction and equipment installation, safety, and security of operations and environmental protection the siting, construction, operation and maintenance, expansion, modification, rehabilitation, decommissioning, and abandonment of PDNGI Facilities;

(f) Operate the PDNGI Facility in strict adherence with the scope and limits of the permit, and in accordance with the HSSE best practices and the Philippine and internationally accepted standards;

(g) Allow examiners of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) entry to the facility premises and full access to accounts, books, and records for tax and other fiscal purposes, in accordance with BIR and BOC rules and procedures;

(h) Allow the DOE, IA-HSSE IMT, ERC, PCC, and other government agencies, entry to the facility premises and full access to operational records for inspection and monitoring activities, in accordance with the rules and procedures of such government agencies;

(i) Give preference to qualified local talent for hiring, and to local companies or agencies in entering into contracts on projects or services which are required in the construction or operation of the PDNGI Facility;

(j) Hold the DOE, ERC, IA-HSSE IMT, and other government agencies, their officers, agents, and employees, free and harmless from and against all suits, claims, demands, or actions of any nature or kind, arising out of their acts or omissions in the performance of any activity in connection with the implementation of this Act: Provided, That such acts or omissions are lawful and not contrary to the provisions of this Act and its IRR;

(k) Participate in the development, issuance, and review of plans, protocols, standards, and codes applicable to the PDNGI;

(l) Establish and maintain a decommissioning fund at the start of operations of the PDNGI Facility to be utilized for its decommissioning in accordance and consistent with the policies and guidelines of the DENR on the establishment, maintenance, and use of the Environmental Guarantee Fund to ensure compliance with, among others, decommissioning obligations in all co-located or single projects that have been determined by the Environment Management Bureau to pose a significant public risk;

(m) Unbundle and make available to the public its unbundled rates and fees, if applicable;

(n) Not engage in anti-competitive behavior; and

(o) Such other responsibilities mandated by the DOE to ensure the development of the PDNGI.ℒαwρhi৷

CHAPTER VI

INCENTIVES