By Rodolfo Dacleson II
(July 4, 2024) – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday asserted that variation orders (VO) caused the delayed construction and increased overall project costs of the new Senate building.
Cayetano said Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) project director Soledad Florencio disclosed the information during the Senate hearing of the committee on accounts last Wednesday.
He added that Florencio admitted that they cannot provide a completion date due to the extension of time (EOT).
“Kasi may mga nagpapalabas na dine-delay namin ito ni Senator (Chiz) Escudero,” said Cayetano in a media release, refuting claims that the changes in the Senate leadership last May has something to do with the delays.
Cayetano replaced Sen. Nancy Binay as the chairperson of the committee on accounts. They engaged in a heated exchange after Cayetano insisted that the new Senate building now costs P23 billion, while Binay maintained that it’s only P21.7 billion.
Binay is now mulling filing an ethics complaint against Cayetano for hurling personal insults at her, saying his attitude was “unbecoming of a senator.”
ALSO READ: Binay slams Cayetano’s accusations, mulls filing complaint
Cayetano furthered that the delays and additional costs would have been avoidable if the DPWH met with the Senate coordinating team before finalizing the detailed architectural and engineering design (DAED).
“Hindi niyo kinausap ang Senado before DAED, that’s why nagkaroon ng EOT. Kinausap niyo ang Senado after DAED, that’s why nag ka-VO at kaya may EOT (cost) na napakalalaki,” said Cayetano.
The new Senate Building, which is set to be constructed in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, has already been delayed by 852 days, resulting in EOT charges worth more than P78 million, according to Cayetano.
He also questioned the additional design fees amounting to P173 million.
“In hindsight, avoidable ito kung nag-usap,” added the senator.
The construction of the new Senate building began in 2019.
(PM)
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