spot_img
27.8 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Duterte defers construction of new govt buildings

- Advertisement -

The administration of President Rodgrigo Duterte will not build new government office buildings in the first year of its term, a cabinet official said. 

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno told reporters in a press briefing Thursday  all proposed government agency buildings for construction would be put on hold, including that of the National Economic and Development Authority in the Ortigas commercial district. 

“We are putting all new buildings on hold. In terms of seniority, roads are more senior than offices,” Diokno said. 

He said the budget for the construction of new office buildings would not be included in the P3.35-trillion 2017 budget proposal for Congress. 

Diokno said he would propose, instead, a government center where all inter-connected government agencies were in one location to conserve time and energy when holding meetings. 

- Advertisement -

“So, hold because we have a plan to have [a] government center in one place and so to rationalize the design and distribution of space of offices, we’ll put it in one place for easier coordination,” he said. 

Diokno has not officially proposed the plan to Duterte. 

“I have in mind a one government center where if you want to have interagency meeting you just step out of office and walk. We can conserve energy and reduce traffic,” Diokno said.

Meanwhile, Neda issued a bid bulletin for consulting services for its proposed building. 

Neda, in a notice posted on its website, issued bid bulletin number 7 for the design parameters and tender documents for the construction of the proposed building.

The deadline of submission is set on Aug 1.

The DBM during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III approved P2.68-billion budget for the construction of Neda’s new building.

The multi-year obligational authority for the construction of the proposed Neda central office building from 2017 to 2020 had been issued, the DBM said.

The construction of the new building would require a yearly budget of P573.9 million in 2017, P592.9 million in 2018, P747.7 million in 2019 and P769.4 in 2020. 

Neda this year received a P20-million appropriation to cover the architectural and engineering design of the proposed building.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles