Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III revealed that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has begun a thorough review of the ₱33-billion cost of constructing the New Senate Building (NSB) in Taguig City.
Sotto said he found the staggering amount “hard to believe” and has authorized Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Accounts, to scrutinize and cut down what he described as “excessive and unnecessary expenses.”
He added that they are now exploring ways to reduce the total cost to around ₱20 billion.
“Dinidiskartehan na ni Sen. Lacson at tsaka maraming tatanggalin doon sa mga proposal na kung ano-ano para maibaba ang presyo roon sa hindi kapani-paniwalang ₱33 billion eh baka maibaba ng less than ₱20 billion,” Sotto said in a radio interview.
Former Accounts Committee chair and current Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano earlier said the Senate may transfer to the new building by mid-2027.
But Sotto was skeptical of that timeline, saying, “Suwerte na kung matatapos ng 2027.”
Due to the aging structure of the Senate’s current home in Pasay City, Sotto also ordered another earthquake drill for safety preparedness.
The Senate currently rents its offices from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), paying millions of pesos annually in lease fees.
The construction of the NSB began during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, with an initial projected cost of ₱8.9 billion and a target completion by 2021.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic and various project adjustments caused major delays and ballooned the total cost to ₱33 billion, making it now considered the most expensive government building in the Philippines.