Senate spending P100 M annually for office space; Miriam wants new building

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago wants to determine if the Senate can save more if it builds its own office rather than continue renting at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building in Pasay.

Under Senate resolution 640, Santiago has proposed the creation of a Senate ad hoc committee that will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the conduct of a feasibility study to determine if it is more practical for the Senate to have its own office building.

The ad hoc committee will determine why the old plan to house the Senate near the Batasan building was discontinued after P41.2-million was spent.

It will also study if the estimated cost of construction, divided by the expected life of the building versus annual rentals being paid for the GSIS building, parking lot and senators’ satellite offices is more beneficial.

Santiago noted that the Senate spends P7.788 million a month as lease for the Senate-occupied office spaces while almost half-a-million pesos go to rent of the parking lot.

The Senate spends a total of P8.29 million a month or about P100 million pesos in an entire year. 

“Considering all these expenses, it would be reasonable to explore the feasibility of constructing a new Senate building,” Santiago said in her resolution.

She also pointed out that some senators had to rent satellite offices in other areas apart from existing ones on the fifth and sixth floors of GSIS. These additional expenses also cost the Senate some P500,000 in rent.

The Senate transferred to the GSIS building in 1997 after the Old Congress building in Burgos Street in Manila was deemed unfit for occupancy.

From 1926 to 1945, the Philippine Legislature, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines, occupied the Old Congress Building in P. Burgos Street, Manila.

The Senate occupied the upper floors while the House occupied the lower floors.

The legislative building was reconstructed in 1950 after World War II damaged it and the Senate used the fourth floor for their plenary sessions.

In 1987 the Senate used the Commission on Audit –National Capital Region Office Building in Batasan Hills, Quezon City and started construction for the secretariat.

Santiago noted that the Senate spent P41.163 million for the improvement of the land, building and other structures in the Batasan area.

The Senate, however, discontinued the construction and turned over the COA-NCR building for use of the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House of the Representatives Electoral Tribunal.