While the public hearing conducted by the Committee on Accounts is a correct call by the present Senate leadership since the issue involves public funds, the ensuing exchange between two former colleagues last Wednesday was painful to watch, to say the least.
As a background, after a lunch meeting requested by then newly installed Senate President Chiz Escudero with former SP Tito Sotto and myself when Sen. Chiz mentioned to us his plan to conduct a review of the price escalation (from P8.9B to P23.3B), I initiated contact with Sen. Alan Cayetano and requested him that in the interest of a smooth transition and transfer of responsibility, while it was ultimately his decision to retain or terminate the Senate Coordination Team, it would be better if they briefed him first and get a lowdown on the status and other details of the ongoing construction, which I also did when Sen. Nancy Binay assumed as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Accounts.
I also suggested that subject to our individual schedules, if he was amenable, I may be present if he and Sen. Nancy would agree to meet regarding some possible issues pertaining to the ongoing construction. My offer to mediate was actually a request from Sen. Nancy after she visited me in my office with my two former staff who now work in her office. Sen. Alan actually agreed to both although the meeting has yet to be scheduled.
While a century-old dream for the Philippines Senate to finally have its own home, one that is iconic, secure, functional and green is about to come to fruition, it is sad that it is now perceived, rightly or wrongly, as another symbol of government abuse of public funds.
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QUOTES from ASPN Interview on July 12, 2024:
* Mediating between Senators Binay and Cayetano:
“Tinext ko uli Sen. Cayetano, sabi ko baka you are still willing. Kasi noon di naman niya sinabing ayaw niya. Sabi niya ayusin natin sked natin at payag tayo magusap tayong 3, parang trialogue namin kasi kami naging committee on accounts chair so sapat lang na pagusapan namin ano ba mga issues na kailangang i-resolve, ano ang mga remedyo na dapat natin ipasok para smooth ang construction. Unfortunately hindi nga nangyayari hanggang overtaken na ng events ng public hearing kung saan nagkaroon ng konting iringan.”
“Ni-renew ko ang call, ang suggestion ko pa nga kung gusto mo di lang tayong 3 (ni Sen Binay), imbitahan ko si Tito Sen, sabihan mo rin SP Chiz para 5 tayo nag-uusap. At payag naman siya, sige tawagan ko si SP at sinabihan ko na rin si Tito Sen payag ka bang tayo mamagitan? At least nandiyan kayong 2 ni SP Chiz, tapos nandiyan ako tapos nandiyan ang dalawa para wag maging public. At sabi ko pa kay SAPC at Sen Nancy, ako na mag-host we’ll make it very private. Hanggang ngayon wala pa namang feedback. Pero si Sen Nancy nagsabi na rin na kung pwedeng ituloy ko ang effort na magkaroon ng mediation, magkaroon ng paguusap. So wala pang feedback from the side of SAPC so I’m still waiting.”
* Message to Detractors of NSB:
“Isang daang taon na kasing pangarap ng Senado magkaroon ng sariling tahanan. Isipin mo tayo lang ata sa buong mundo ang Senate na nagrerenta at ang renta natin pataas ng pataas. Ngayon parang kung total-in natin pati parking space, nasa P400-500M isang taon ang rental natin. So magse-self liquidate naman yan. At di naman ito unusual kasi maski ang ibang parliament sa ibang parte ng mundo tinuligsa din yan. Ang Westminster katakot takot na tuligsa noong ginagawa. Ang parliament ng Hungary ngayon napaka-iconic makita mo lang sa postcard alam mo alam mong Hungary yan. Ang Capitol Hill makita mo sa postcard alam mong US Congress yan.”
“Ang huling narinig ko nang nag-escalate kasi after Covid di lang 10% per annum, parang binigla nila ang escalation. Ang parking, SSS, ang building, GSIS. Sa parking lang ang huling dinig ko pina-check ko magkano ang upa sa parking? Dati kasi noong sinasagawa namin ang planning ng NSB, nasa P5B ang renta. Ngayon parang noong nag-escalate ang SSS tumaas ang relative value ng lupa sa tabi ng Senado. E kung kukuwentahin natin per vehicle ang lumalabas P8000 per day ang upa kung per capita natin na parang kung isu-suma total ang total kasi parang P100M na ata ang upa sa parking space, at papagawa pa yan kasi parking ng employees yan at bisita. Siyempre mag-ano pa yan at narinig ko nga kung, di ko na validate pa ito, kung papaayos ang parking na yan para maging maayos gagastusan pa ng P300M.”
“So parang sa akin lang, di ba mas practical magkaroon ng sariling tahanan? Kaya nga bagong Senado sa isang siglo ang naging theme noong kino-construct yan kasi 100 years na, na wala man lang sariling bahay ang Senate. Kung magbisita kami sa parliament sa mga exchange visit like IPU, pag sila ang dadalaw sa atin parang nanliliit tayo na ganito itsura ng ating Senate offices. Samantalang ang sa kanila pag punta kami, talagang mararangya at dignified.”
“Hindi kailangan marangya (ang NSB). Ang P25B na yan maski P23B pwedeng pababain yan, na dignified pa ang itsura nasunod ang 4 panuntunan di kailan gan masyadong magarbo. Pero sana naman pagbigyan naman na ang ating Senado magkaroon ng sariling bahay. Yan lang naman ang bottom line.”
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