Experts: Makati Science HS building construction should only cost P489M to P644M 

(Updated 10:42 a.m.) Experts said Tuesday the cost of construction of the Makati Science High School should be lower than the P1.3 billion the local government shelled out for it.

 

At the resumption of Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing on the alleged overpricing in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building II and other allegations of irregularities against Vice President Jejomar Binay, architect Danilo Alano of the Philippine Institute of Architects said that based on estimate, the construction of the 10-storey school building should range from P536 million to P644 million.

 

On the other hand, Federico Cuervo, a property appraiser and president and chief executive officer of Cuervo Valuers and Advisory Inc., said the market value of the building is P489 million or 24,000 per square meter.

 

He also noted that the doors of the building could be a trap because these open backwards and not both ways.

 

He also said the design of the stairs was defective.

 

Cuervo said the heat on the upper floors of the building was due to lack of ventilation which should be cured. 

Early this month, critics of the VIce President claimed that the construction of the Makati Science High School was overpriced by P862 million or by almost 300 percent. The building's construction started in 2008, when Binay was still Makati mayor.

Lawyer Renato Bondal, who had filed a plunder complaint against Binay over the construction of the Makati City Hall Building II, said the city government of Makati already shelled P1.3333 billion out of the P1.5 billion for the 10-storey school building when based on the industry average price, it should only cost P470 million.