Cayetano: New Senate Building on track

PHILIPPINES, March 28 - Press Release
March 28, 2025

Cayetano: New Senate Building on track

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano assured the public on Wednesday that the construction of the New Senate Building (NSB) remains on track, with efforts focused on reducing costs without compromising its design and quality.

"We are doing our best to maintain the aesthetics and quality, lower the project price, and hopefully finish it by the first quarter of 2027," Cayetano told reporters during a media interview on March 26, 2025.

Cayetano, who chairs the Senate Committee on Accounts, explained that the Senate's priority is to ensure that the project cost aligns with "apples-to-apples" pricing -- comparing the previous design and the intended outcome with today's market rates.

"There are no delays as everything is going smoothly. Ang basic task ay ibaba y'ung presyo," he said.

The NSB has faced scrutiny due to its ballooning budget. With the core and shell of the building priced at P8.9 billion in 2018, the projected overall project cost has now surged to P33.07 billion.

Cayetano, who has been actively reviewing the project, previously pointed out that some of these cost increases could have been avoided with better planning and oversight.

When asked about Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's statement that no irregularities have been found in the NSB, Cayetano clarified that his committee's primary focus was ensuring completion and addressing delays.

"We didn't go into this asking, 'Is there an anomaly or not?' What we looked at was why there was a delay, what remedies were available, and how to prevent further delays," he said.

With the project expected to be completed by 2027, Cayetano said there are ongoing proactive inspections on the NSB and hinted at inviting reporters to cover the developments firsthand.

"We will provide an update by mid-next week. Baka isama na namin kayo doon," he told reporters.

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Cayetano: Wala nang aberya ang konstruksyon ng New Senate Building

Tiniyak ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano sa publiko nitong Miyerkules na wala nang aberya ang konstruksyon ng New Senate Building (NSB). Aniya, nakatuon ang Senado sa pagpapababa ng gastos nang hindi nakokompromiso ang disenyo at kalidad nito.

"We are doing our best to maintain the aesthetics and quality, lower the project price, and hopefully finish it by the first quarter of 2027," wika ng senador sa isang media interview nitong March 26, 2025.

Ayon kay Cayetano, na chair ng Senate Committee on Accounts, prayoridad ng Senado na matiyak na tama ang presyo ng proyekto batay sa kasalukuyang halaga ng mga materyales.

"There are no delays as everything is going smoothly. Ang basic task ay ibaba y'ung presyo," wika niya.

Matagal nang iniintriga ang NSB dahil sa lumolobong gastos nito. Mula sa orihinal na presyo na P8.9 bilyon para sa core at shell ng gusali noong 2018, pumalo na sa P33.07 bilyon ang kabuuang tinatayang halaga ng proyekto.

Binigyang diin ni Cayetano na may ilang gastusin na sana'y naiwasan kung nagkaroon ng mas maayos na pagpaplano at masusing pangangasiwa.

Nang tanungin tungkol sa pahayag ni Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero na walang nakikitang iregularidad sa proyekto, nilinaw ni Cayetano na hindi ito ang pangunahing tutok ng kanyang komite kundi ang tiyakin na matatapos ang gusali at matutugunan ang mga pagkaantala.

"We didn't go into this asking, 'Is there an anomaly or not?' What we looked at was why there was a delay, what remedies were available, and how to prevent further delays," wika niya.

Sinabi ni Cayetano na sa inaasahang pagtatapos ng proyekto pagsapit ng 2027, patuloy ang masusing inspeksyon sa NSB at posibleng imbitahan ang mga mamamahayag upang personal na makita ang progreso nito.

"We will provide an update by mid-next week. Baka isama na namin kayo doon," wika niya.