MIRIAM TO LEAD AD HOC BODY FOR NEW SENATE BUILDING

In her letter to Senate President Manny Villar, Santiago stated that she has no direct or indirect financial interest in the project since she does not intend to run for reelection in 2010.

She recommended Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Aquilino Pimentel as members of the ad hoc body.

In her Senate Resolution No. 640, Santiago pointed out that the Senate is currently spending P7.78 million a month to rent the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building in Pasay, and about half a million pesos to rent the parking space since its transfer from the Old Congress Building in Burgos Street in Manila. This totals P8.29 million a month or around P100 million for the whole year.
Moreover, some senators also maintain satellite offices to accommodate all their staff including their files, translating to roughly half a million pesos in additional Senate expenses.

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

Santiago’s proposal coincided with the start of the Senate finance committee hearings on the 2009 national budget. The Department of Budget and Management proposed a P1.94 billion budget for the Senate.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate occupied the Old Congress Building in Manila from 1926 to 1945 where the Senate occupied the upper floors while the House occupied the lower portion.

In 1987, the Senate obtained the use of the Commission on Audit-National Capital Region Office(COA-NCR) Building in the Batasan area and started construction of the building intended for the Secretariat

Although spending more than P41 million for improvement of the land, building and other structures, the Senate discontinued the construction and turned over the COA-NCR Building to the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.