New Senate building construction delayed by 852 days, says Cayetano

NEWEST LANDMARK The new Senate building, though still under construction, looms large in Taguig City —Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — The construction of the Senate’s new home in Taguig has been delayed by 852 days, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed on Wednesday.

Cayetano, who now heads the Senate panel on accounts, made the revelation during his panel’s first hearing on the supposedly ballooning cost of the New Senate Building (NSB).

“Just like I said, let’s stop reasoning out. No one wants the pandemic to happen. We shut down and so I understand, but it’s not true that there’s no delay. It was delayed by 852 days,” Cayetano initially told the Department of Public Works and Highways.

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

At the end of Cayetano’s ire was DPWH Buildings and Special Projects Management Cluster Project Director Soledad Florencio.

“Yes, your honor. But the delays are due to variation orders,” Florencio explained after she was repeatedly cut off by Cayetano.

The senator then took a swipe at individuals supposedly claiming that he and Senate President Chiz Escudero are causing delays to the NSB’s construction.

To recall, Escudero earlier ordered a review of the building’s cost after he was informed by Cayetano about an apparent “dramatic increase” in the building’s construction fee from an initial budget of P8 billion to a projected P23.3 billion.

“My only question is how many days is the delay because there are people who are saying that Sen. Escudero and I are delaying it. So because of the delay of 852 days, how much is the additional cost of the project?” Cayetano insisted then asked.

Data from DPWH showed that due to the 852 days delay in the project, a total of P78 million fee was charged. But apart from this, Cayetano said more or less P170 million was likewise incurred for NSB’s design fees alone.

Earlier, Cayetano insisted that the construction of NSB will still continue despite his panel’s review of the building’s cost.

“So let me clarify this part because I also watched the news last night where someone from DPWH said that there is no order to stop it yet. What is being said in the news is that phase 1 and phase 2 are the ones that have been bid up, this is ongoing, the construction can continue there which we are reviewing, there is no conflict,” said Cayetano then.

“So we’re just looking at the documentation, we’re looking at the whys and whats, but construction continuous so there’s no delay,” he emphasized.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 covers the Core and Shell as well as the Fit-Out of the building. Cayetano said what the committee on accounts would review is the additional P10 billion needed that has yet to be procured.

“So this is the one that’s on hold. And I agree and support the decision of the Senate President and this will not cause delays because we have to find out if the amount is right and the purchase is right and the construction is also right,” he explained.