Escudero wants P23-billion new Senate building reviewed: Parang OA

Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero leads the flag-raising ceremony at the Senate grounds in Pasay City on Monday, June 10, 2024. Maila Ager/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Employees of the Senate may have to wait a little longer before they can transfer to their new home in Taguig City.

This may be so as the new leadership of the upper chamber disclosed a “shocking” discovery, with Senate President Francis Escudero informing Senate employees of the sort of bad news during Monday’s flag-raising ceremony.

“Hindi totooong makakalipat tayo sa bagong gusali, lupa, at building ng Setyembre. Hindi rin totoo na aabot tayo na makalipat bago matapos ang taon. Kahit  hanggang 2025 sa palagay ko’y hindi pa rin dahil marami pang bagay na kailangang ihanda, at maraming bagay din na aming nakita at nagisnan  na kailangan pang suriin at pag aralan,” he said in a speech.

(It’s not true that we can transfer to the new building, lot in September. It’s also not true that we can make it to transfer before the end of this year. Maybe even until 2025, I think we still can’t because there are many things that we need to prepare, and also things we discovered that needed scrutiny.)

According to him,  there is a need to review the New Senate Building (NSB) after learning about the expenses needed to complete its construction.

“At nung nakita ko ito, medyo nagulantang, nagulat at hindi ko inaasahan na ganun kalaki aabutin  ng gagastusin para sa ating magiging bagong tahanan,” the new Senate chief said.

(And when we discovered this, I was shocked and surprised, as I did not expect our new home to cost so much.)

“Sa aking pananaw, masama ito sa  panlasa ng karamihan lalo pa sa masang panlasa ng mas nakakarami nating kababayan lalo na sa gitna ng krisis sa ekonomiya at sa kahirapang nakikita ng  marami sa ating mga kababayan,” he added.

(In my view, this leaves a bad taste in most people’s mouths, especially in the middle of an economic crisis and poverty that many of our countrymen see.)

READ: New Senate building ‘on target to open for partial operations by July 2024’ – Nancy Binay

Escudero said that from P8.9 billion, the budget for the building has already climbed to P13 billion. He also said another P10 billion is needed to complete it, bringing the total budget to P23 billion.

This is why, he said, he directed Senator Alan Cayetano – as head of the Senate committee on accounts – to suspend the payments and construction of the NSB pending a review.

“Tama nga ba ang gastusing ‘yan? May paraan ba para mapabababa pa ‘yan?” he asked.

(Is this amount appropriate? Is there a way to lower its cost?)

In an interview with reporters after the flag-raising ceremony, Escudero clarified that he was not saying there was any irregularity or anything questionable with the amount requested for the NSB’s construction.

READ: Dysfunctional priorities: the new Senate building

“Hindi kwestionable, na o-OA-yan lang ako,” he said. “Nakakagulat at masama [sa] panlasa na gagatos  ng ganito kalaki ang Senado para sa aming magiging bagong tahanan at opisina.”

(It’s not questionable. I just find it excessive. It’s surprising and leaves a bad taste in the mouth for the Senate to spend this much for our new home and office.)

“Wala akong nakitang irregularity. Nagulantang lamang ako sa halaga. Hindi ba kagula-gulantang ang P13B? Eh ‘di mas nakakagulantang ang P23B para sa isang opisina lang,” the senator continued, responding to a reporter’s question.

(I did not see irregularity. I was just shocked at the cost. Isn’t P13B shocking? Well, P23B for just one office is more startling.)

“Ulitin ko, walang binibatawang akusasyon. Nais lamang namin malaman at alamin dahil hindi ba medyo marangya para sa panlasa din ninyo ang ganitong kalaking halaga para sa isang government building? Baka ang katumbas nito’y mga mamahaling building na at luxurious na makikita natin sa Makati at BGC,” he added.

(I repeat, I am not laying accusations. We just want to know and find out because isn’t such a considerable amount for a government building a bit too luxurious for your taste, too? Maybe the equivalent would be the expensive and luxurious buildings we see in Makati and BGC.)

Escudero said he decided to suspend construction work on the new Senate building after receiving detailed report and recommendations from Cayetano last Friday, June 7.

In a press release, the Senate chief cited the preliminary review conducted by Cayetano’s committee which revealed “numerous variations, deviations, and modifications to the project that have not been properly validated.”

These changes have resulted in additional expenses amounting to P833 million, which is nearly 10 percent of the original contract price, according to the press release.

“The report also pointed out procurement delays and missteps by the project manager, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which have contributed to project slowdowns and cost overruns,” it further said.

Aside from compelling the DPWH to create a high-level liaison team for the project, Cayetano in his report also suggested engaging a third-party construction management team “to help clarify and validate the project to date, both technically and financially.”

This, he said, will aid in a value engineering exercise intended to reduce the cost of the building, considering the high projected cost, subsequent delays, and the desire to turn over a building that conforms to the original design intent.

The contractor of the new Senate building is Hilmarc’s Construction Corporation, the same company investigated by the upper chamber in 2014 in connection with the allegedly graft-ridden construction of the P2.3-billion Makati City Hall Building II.