More docs show New Senate Building could be the most expensive bldg in PH—Cayetano

"It comes out to be the most expensive building in the country so far."

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano made this statement on the New Senate Building on Thursday as he mentioned uncovering more documents from relevant stakeholders that could potentially increase the overall cost of the project.

“The P25 to 27 billion [projected cost of NSB] could be a little bit conservative pa pala...It’s coming out to be the most expensive building in the country so far and we will still try to remedy that," Cayetano said in an interview.

“Developing yung story. This week kasi I found out na maraming tinatago sa atin. Kung sino ang nagtatago at bakit tinatago, I haven't gotten to that [yet] but we finally received caches na halos half room full of documents and we're getting through it,” he said

(The story is developing,. This week kasi I found out many things being hidden from us. Whoever is doing this and why, I haven't gotten to that [yet] but we finally received caches, a half a room full of documents and we're getting through it.)

Cayetano mentioned that one of the issues is the building’s facade which was pegged at P1 billion, later changed to P498 million and now costs P2.9 billion.

The Senate committee on accounts chairman then appealed to his predecessor, Senator Nancy Binay, as well as the Senate Coordinating Team (SCT) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to "tell the whole truth" about the project.

"Tell the whole truth. What we’re doing is the review. If they came forward and gave us everything, we would have decisions by now,” he said.

“They are not being forthright. That’s not good kasi nga hindi natin ma-evaluate nang mabuti [ang NSB],” he added.

According to Cayetano, he seeks to make the technical decisions on the NSB in August to prevent further delays and additional costs to the project.

In the last committee on accounts' hearing, the DPWH said that the NSB's cost could reach P27 billion.

Cayetano launched the inquiry into the matter after Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero ordered a review on the cost of the building, noting that the funding for the construction has already reached P23 billion.

The inquiry is aimed to cut down the cost of the new home for the Senate. —RF, GMA Integrated News