P1-B fund source for House facelift a puzzle

Why the House launched a massive reconstruction program without firm and full appropriations support raises a lot of questions, according to University of the Philippines Prof. Leonor Briones.

Amid rising oil and commodity prices, depressed wages and joblessness, “at this point in time, every financial outlay matters, and calls for transparency and accountability grow stronger,” says Briones, who heads the civil society groups SocialWatch Philippines and Alternative Budget Initiative.

“In the final analysis, it is not how beautiful Congress is but how committed and efficient it is in being a co-equal branch, in its fiscalizing role,” Briones adds.

That Nograles got P200 million from President Arroyo to co-finance the renovation project does not speak well of the House.

Briones adds: “There’s so much money under the control of the President, about 70 percent of the budget. Congress should be held to account for allowing the Executive to go overboard with its prerogatives.”

All appropriations, tax and tariff should emanate from the House, which is designated in law to exercise “the power of the purse.” Given this role, Briones says, “ang papel ng Congress dapat distant. Will its customary independence be compromised with all these ‘loving’ activities going on?”

Speaker Nograles says the long years of disrepair of the Batasan complex have made the renovation project necessary.

“After 31 years we have to do repairs... approved last February but implemented only during the long break now,” explains Nograles in a text message to PCIJ.

“We can’t schedule/predict storm or crisis but repairs (were) long overdue and long-scheduled for (the congressional) recess,” he says in response to criticisms that the renovation was ill-timed as thousands of people suffer from the heavy damage of typhoon “Frank,” including hundreds who lost their relatives in the sinking of Sulpicio Lines’ Princess of the Stars in Romblon.

For basic change

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rufino Rozzano Biazon says he does not question the need to repair the leaking roof and the damaged South Wing entrance canopy, but at this time of austerity and economic difficulties, renovation of such magnitude does not seem to be practical.

“Okay ‘yung renovation pero sana more basic lang. ‘Yung hip designs and color, in five years outdated na ‘yan,” says the congressman who toured the US Congress in June for the first time.

“Kung gagastos din lang ang Congress, it should be on an expense that will add up to the productivity of the members, like office equipment. ‘Yun sana ang unahin,” he asserts, citing that congressmen’s individual offices had been issued only one or two computer units with programs that are becoming obsolete.

“I wish the expense were (made) on something more practical that will directly contribute to the productivity of the House,” Biazon says, noting how the US Congress has kept the simple design of Capitol Hill and the American lawmakers’ offices.

Former House secretary general Roberto Nazareno, who dropped by his old office at the basement of the main building that had undergone renovation, said in jest that the staff should now become more productive because of the modern design that is “conducive to hard labor.”

House deputy secretary general Artemio Adasa Jr. said that the changes under the Nograles leadership would certainly go beyond aesthetics.

Critics, he says, need not worry about pressing economic problems that need funding because these are being attended to by appropriate agencies.

The physical restructuring of the House, he adds, would lead to higher productivity as already shown in the first six months of Nograles’ leadership.

Since February this year, the House has churned out 287 bills, of which nine had become law, including the P1.2-trillion budget for 2008, the cheaper medicine law, and the measure granting tax relief to individual taxpayers, all under the Nograles speakership.

No answers

What remains unanswered are questions about the source of funds for the renovation project.

“We don’t really know where is the source, but it came from the Office of the President, and the very purpose is to renovate the House which has not been repaired since 30 years ago,” Adasa says.

Under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act Congress passed in 2003, no bidding of any government project or contract may be started, without the procuring agency first securing a SARO from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) that should certify the availability and source of funds.

As well, the project bidding and awards process seem flawed.

The P9.7-million contract to renovate the South Wing canopy and lobby supported by House funds was bidded out in February.

In March, a supplemental bid bulletin was posted on the House website stating that two covered activities “will be undertaken by the House” but were reflected in the contractor’s budget – P189,000 for the “provision of new plants and re-landscaping of the existing plant boxes at the SW (South Wing) entrance area,” and P657,160 for the “re-landscaping of the SW Rotonda (sic).” 

The bid bulletin directed the contractors to specify these amounts in their contract price.

Repair work sked

Phase 1 of the renovation covered repair and repainting of the roof of the main building, repair of gutters and waterproofing, replacement of downspouts and rehabilitation of drainage systems.

The main building exterior lobby was also retiled, enhanced and repainted. The press working area at the basement adjacent to the plenary hall was improved. 

Repairs also included putting aluminum cladding at the main building’s front and rear entrances and parapets, as well as the North and South Wing exteriors, stone finishing of the front and rear facades and sidings of the main building.

The damaged South Wing entrance canopy was reconstructed, cleared and repainted, as well as the North Wing lobby. The kitchen of the South lounge, where legislators take their meals, was also renovated.

Exterior electrical fixtures were repaired and flood lights installed around the building.

The rear car park was widened, and the helipad was repaired and repainted. 

“First priority (are the) hallways, comfort rooms and roof leaks down spout, etc.,” Nograles says.

There were metal cladding installed at the façade and the walls to strengthen the building and keep construction debris from falling, according to House secretary general Marilyn Barua-Yap.

P700,000 per toilet

About 30 public comfort rooms with three to five cubicles each on the ground and second floor lobbies were reconstructed, with glossy tiles and modern bowls and sinks, making these comparable to hotel facilities.

Each toilet supposedly cost as much P700,000.

Asked about the cost, Adasa says some comfort rooms indeed cost that much because damaged toilet bowls and sinks were replaced, and the floor and walls were tiled. Other toilets now have a “washing area” for Muslim visitors and House members.

The walls leading to the main lobby that serves as a gallery for photographs of House speakers were painted neon green and the other side leading to the side entrances to the plenary hall now sports orange paint.

The lighting system for the building was replaced with energy-saving fluorescent bulbs.

The ballot boxes in the allegedly rigged 2004 elections were removed from the improvised storage room in the South Wing lobby and returned to the Commission on Elections upon an order from the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, Adasa says.

The area had been cleared, re-tiled and enclosed with glass panels to serve as a social hall for parties, photo or product exhibits and other events, according to Yap.

The medical/dental clinic and legislative research office that used to be located at the North Wing lobby were temporarily moved to meeting rooms at the Mitra building next to the North Wing. These will soon be housed permanently at the covered multi-purpose building near the food court, Yap says.

She notes that since 1977, the Batasang Pambansa building had only one minor renovation in 1999.

“Except for the retiling of the interior lobby of the main building and refurbishing of the session hall during the incumbency of then Speaker Manuel Villar Jr., there has not been any major repair and rehabilitation of the building and its facilities for the past 30 years,” she says.

The massive renovation project under Nograles puts to question the priorities of the House, especially as the people await Arroyo’s SONA. According to Prof. Briones: “The SONA is not only about the President but also about Congress. There is a question of transparency here. Where does the funding come from?”

“Is it coming from the President’s Special Purpose Funds? Or are they going to transfer or postpone scheduled projects to accommodate the need to beautify Congress?” she asks.