Merlina Panganiban. INQUIRER.net/Cathy Miranda
MANILA, Philippines – Senators on Thursday grilled local officials of Makati City over the proposed P350-million budget just to move one department to the controversial new Makati City Hall 2 parking building.
During the ongoing investigation of the Senate blue ribbon committee, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV questioned the proposed allocation of the city government just to transfer one department to a nearby building.
“Nag-allocate po ang Makati City government ng P350 million para lang lumipat ang isang department para sa bagong building na magkadikit lang ang lilipatan?” Trillanes asked, addressing his question to Lorenza Amores, head of the Makati City budget department.
“Yan na po yata ang pinakamahal na paglipat ng opisina sa buong mundo… Wala kayong nakikitang problema dun?” he further asked.
Amores said the amount was requested by the urban development department that will be transferred to the new building.
The committee then called the department’s head, Merlina Panganiban, who happened to be at the hearing room.
Panganiban explained that the fund would be used to transfer all offices under the department, including the big data center.
Moving the data center alone, she said, would be very difficult as they would have to buy new equipment.
“Is that the only way komo marami kayong pera, gaganunin nyo…? Trillanes asked.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III agreed that anyone who can see the proposed funding just to move a department to another building would be shocked.
Pimentel then asked for the details of the proposed allocation.
RELATED STORIES
Witness: I got ‘P200,000 allowance’ from ex-Mayor Jejomar Binay to rig bidding
Nancy Binay: ‘I have no bakeshop and don’t know how to bake’