00:00Senator Nancy Binay is questioning the importance given by Senate President Francis Escudero
00:06regarding the construction of the new Senate building.
00:09It is now clear that the more than 8 billion pesos is only for the house,
00:13and not including the interior.
00:15Ian Cruz is on the spot.
00:20The construction of the new Senate building in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig continues.
00:25The Senate Committee on Accounts continues with the transfer of expenses for the house,
00:30which, according to Senate President Chiz Escudero, is now reaching 23 billion pesos.
00:36The former chairman of the Accounts Committee, Senator Nancy Binay,
00:40asked Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to talk to the new chairman.
00:46It is one of the reasons why it would be better if the two of us were together
00:51so that we can have a proper term.
00:54She said that she does not understand where the numbers of Escudero came from.
00:58It was clear back then that the 8.6 billion pesos is only for the house,
01:05and not including the interior and the rest.
01:08We asked Cayetano for an explanation, but in his report to Escudero,
01:12the expenses are detailed.
01:148.9 billion pesos for Phase 1,
01:172.375 billion pesos for the interior or fit-out,
01:22and 10.33 billion pesos in the budget for Phase 3.
01:27If we include the land purchase, it will reach 23.254 billion pesos.
01:34In examining the GEM Integrated News Research on contracts,
01:38some of the materials used are expensive.
01:42Senator Binay was asked how she thinks the construction of the new Senate building can be saved,
01:49especially with the increasing cost of Phase 3.
01:52First of all, we are looking at it.
01:56Aside from the cost of saving, the important thing is the value for money.
02:03It can be cheap, but after 6 months, the materials will be destroyed.
02:13That's why the value for money is more important.
02:17The intention of the building is for more and more.
02:23For Cayetano, it is important to be acceptable to the people who will spend for the house.
02:30If it is the most expensive building in the Philippines,
02:34it will not be a symbol of democracy and pride of our countrymen.
02:41It is a bit expensive for others.
02:44So the objective of the Senate President, and I would assume the whole Senate,
02:48is that the quality is still there, the building is still secure, but the cost is not that high.
02:54According to the Department of Public Works and Highways,
02:57he is the project manager for the construction of the new Senate building.
03:01It is not the DPWH, we are just implementing a unit of the Senate.
03:10Whichever specifications that they want us to implement, then we implement it.
03:18GMA Integrated News is working hard to get the contractor of the project,
03:23Hillmarks Construction Corporation.
03:25For GMA Integrated News, Ian Cruz, Nakatutok, 24 Hours.
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