Probe into Senate constructing set on July 3; DPWH instructed to submit docs

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate panel on accounts, now headed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, will probe points hounding the New Senate Constructing (NSB) in Taguig on July 3.

Cayetano confirmed this in an announcement on Friday, additional detailing that the Division of Public Works and Highways has been defying their requests for the submission of all paperwork associated to the development.

“We’ve reached out quite a few instances to the DPWH since June 14, 2024, for the submission of all project-related paperwork however all our communication has fallen on deaf ears. Consequently, we now have formally requested Secretary Manuel Bonoan for these paperwork to be submitted no later than Monday, July 1, 2024,” mentioned Ceyateno.

In a separate assertion additionally issued Friday, the senator mentioned the deadline for submission follows a timeline that may permit committee members satisfactory time to evaluate the supplies totally forward of the Wednesday listening to.

In the meantime, Cayetano mentioned the principle goal of the listening to is to “get rid of delays that would lead to pointless prices or complicate cost-related issues” of the NSB.

Senate President Chiz Escudero earlier ordered the evaluate of the supposedly ballooning prices of the NSB.

This was after Cayetano knowledgeable him about an obvious “dramatic improve” within the constructing’s building value from an preliminary finances of P8 billion to a projected P23.3 billion.

READ: Escudero desires P23-billion new Senate constructing reviewed: Parang OA

Cayetano, nevertheless, defined that the development of the NSB should proceed regardless of the Senate panel on accounts’ evaluate of the constructing’s value.

“So let me make clear this half kasi napanood ko rin ‘yung information kagabi na could taga-DPWH na nagsasabi nga na wala pang order na itigil. Yung sinasabi po sa information na section 1 and section 2 ito po yung na-bid up, ito po ay ongoing, pwede naman po tuloy yung building dyan na nire-review namin, wala pong battle yun,” mentioned Cayetano final June 12.

(So let me make clear this half as a result of I additionally watched the information final evening the place somebody from DPWH mentioned that there is no such thing as a order to cease the development but. What’s being mentioned within the information is that section 1 and section 2 are those which have been bid up; that is ongoing. The development can proceed there which we’re reviewing; there is no such thing as a battle.)

“So we’re simply wanting on the documentation, we’re yung mga why and what, pero tuloy-tuloy po ‘yan para walang delay,” he emphasised.

(So we’re simply wanting on the documentation, we’re wanting on the whys and whats, however that’s steady, so there’s no delay.)

Phases 1 and a pair of cowl the Core and Shell in addition to the fit-out of the constructing. Cayetano mentioned the committee on accounts would evaluate the extra P10 billion wanted that has but to be procured.