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Senate

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1718006910602MicrosoftTeams-image.png" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Senate PRIB</span></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span dir="ltr">(UPDATE) </span></span>— Senate President Francis Escudero told Senate employees on Monday that the cost of their new headquarters in Taguig&#x27;s financial district has gone up to P23 billion, from the original P8.9 billion—as he justified his leadership&#x27;s need to review the project.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/27/chiz-senate-won-t-move-to-new-building-this-year-1626">• Escudero: Senate won&#x27;t move to new building this year</a></div><p>The construction of the new Senate building in BGC began under the term of then-Senate President Vicente Sotto III and was continued by his successor, former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.</p><p>Speaking during his first flag ceremony as Senate President, Escudero said they cannot move into the new building this year and maybe not even next year because many things need to be done and examined first.</p><p>Escudero said he was shocked by the cost of the construction.</p><p>&quot;Sa aking pananaw, masama ito sa panlasa ng karamihan, lalong masama sa panlasa ng mas marami nating mga kababayan lalo na sa gitna ng krisis sa ekonomiya at sa kahirapang nakikita ng marami sa ating mga kababayan,&quot; Escudero said in his speech.  </p><p>&quot;Hindi kwestyonable, nao-o-OA-yan lang ako, nakakagulat at masama sa panlasa na gagastos nang ganito kalaki ang Senado para sa aming magiging bagong tahanan at opisina at sa dami ng pinapapapirmahan sa akin na bayarin nais kong tingnan muna at suriin ito nang husto kung talaga bang nararapat, angkop at kung paano ito mapababa,&quot; Escudero added during an ambush interview.</p><p>(In my view, this is in bad taste considering the economic crisis and poverty.)</p><p>&quot;Para sa akin medyo mabigat lunukin at kagulat-gulat naman talaga,&quot; Escudero said.</p><p>(This was hard to stomach)</p><p>Escudero said he adopted new Senate accounts chairman Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano&#x27;s recommendation to delay payments pending review as they seek to lower the costs.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/03/22/senators-hope-new-senate-building-finished-by-2024">• Senators hope new Senate building finished by 2024</a></div><p>Escudero also noted that even employees found the space in the new building less than the space in their current offices.</p><p>The Senate chief also said they are seeking to avoid bringing the existing problems of inadequate internet access to the new building.</p><p>Escudero said the review and inquiry being undertaken by Cayetano would not take long so they could make a recommendation to the Senate and inform the employees.</p><p>Escudero clarified the he was not making any accusations against anybody and that they have not seen any irregularity.</p><p>&quot;Wala akong nakitang irregularity, nagulantang lang ako sa halaga... para sa isang opisina lamang. Wala akong binibitiwang akusasyon laban kaninuman... Yung naunang inaprubahang budget at P8.9 billion hindi namin alam kung bakit ito lumobo,&quot; he said.</p><p>Escudero said, so far, the Senate has paid P10 billion for the project, but the Department of Public Works and Highways, which is implementing the project, is already slowing down the construction.</p><div><br/></div><div><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:8px"><strong>READY TO EXPLAIN</strong></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3055403"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p style="margin-bottom:8px">Meanwhile, former Senate accounts committee chair Sen. Nancy Binay said she is ready to answer all of Escudero&#x27;s questions about the new Senate building. </p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">According to the senator, who is a close ally of Zubiri, the clarification could have happened earlier had Escudero been more involved in the project.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">&quot;Sa totoo lang, nagulat din ako kung saan nanggagaling ang info ni SP Escudero with regard the New Senate Building. Sadly, kung noong una pa man sana ay nagkaroon ng time si SP na magtanong at alamin ang tungkol sa construction developments, sana&#x27;y mas naliwanagan siya at nakapagbigay s&#x27;ya ng inputs at suggestions kung paano mas makakatipid at &#x27;di maantala ang paglipat ng Senado sa bagong gusali,&quot; Binay said.  </p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">(To be honest I was shocked. I don&#x27;t know where SP Escudero got his information. This could have been avoided if only he was more involved in the construction developments—we could have incorporated his input on how to save funds.)</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">For his part, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who was accounts chair during Sotto&#x27;s term, explained that the additional cost covers land acquisition.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">&quot;The new total cost of P23.3 billion includes the cost of the fit-out accessories and technical components of the security system as well as the land acquisition which was valued at that time at P1.62 billion (at P90,000 per square meter) and has since tremendously appreciated in value. I understand, and this may not be accurate that the current real estate value in that same area is P500,000 per square meter,&quot; Lacson told reporters. </p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">Binay also expressed her frustration that prolonging the completion of the project will further jack up the costs.</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">&quot;We want to avoid any unnecessary expense brought by the delay. There is a sense of urgency to complete the construction by 2025. Delays would mean cost adjustments, additional charges, penalties, and another round of rental. The Senate cannot afford any set back because each day of delay has cost implications,&quot; Binay said. </p><p style="margin-bottom:8px">However, both Lacson and Binay backed Escudero&#x27;s decision to review the project.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zlMlFWodUCQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Senate President Chiz Escudero said he was shocked by the cost of the construction.</p>

Senate President Chiz Escudero said he was shocked by the cost of the construction.

Cost of new Senate building nearly tripled; 'shocked' Escudero orders review

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Cost of new Senate building nearly tripled; 'shocked' Escudero orders review

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 10, 2024 01:09 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 10, 2024 06:28 PM PHT

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Senate

senator

senators

Senate building

Chiz Escudero

Tito Sotto

Migz Zubiri

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BGC

Taguig

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