Plan for New Senate Building to be finalized in January 2025 - Alan Cayetano

The plan for the New Senate Building in Taguig City is targeted to be finalized in January 2025, according to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate accounts committee, also said that they are aiming to finish the construction by 2027.

“Latest January, we expect the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) to finalize and to bid. I promised to be transparent sa Senate…Kaya lang ako di nagboblow by blow kasi kina-counter blow ako na hindi naman factual,” he said in Mav Gonzales’ report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday.

(Latest January, we expect the DPWH to finalize and to bid. I promised to be transparent to the Senate…The reason I was not giving blow-by-blow updates is they are countering me with statements that are not factual.)

“Now that we got the figures of how much is everything, we’re fixing that and then yung value. But we’re targeting nga first quarter of 2027 matapos (But we’re targeting to finish it by the first quarter of 2027),” he added.

Senate President Francis Escudero in June sought a review of the budget for the construction of the new building, which had ballooned to P23 billion.

But Cayetano said in October that the building now costs P31 billion based on the updated plan.

Cayetano said that he would submit a comprehensive report about the building construction.

“I will submit a comprehensive report. But basically the report is for the future because, sadly, it’s coming out as the most expensive building in the Philippines. Even more expensive than a five-star hotel. But at this point, we are not blaming any single circumstance or person,” he said.

''My role is to fix the plan. Fix it, get the senators to approve, then finish and put it up.''

There were already meetings to review the design plans and budget, said Cayetano.

Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan also sent a letter to the Senate saying that the building could be finished within two years if everything goes well in the bidding process. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/VBL, GMA Integrated News