The Senate Accounts Committee announced on Friday, June 28 that it is set to conduct a public hearing on Wednesday, July 3, as part of its commitment to ensure a prompt and impartial review of the new Senate building.

"This initiative aims to eliminate delays that could result in unnecessary costs or complicate cost-related matters," it said in a statement.

Chaired by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the Senate panel said that it has reached out numerous times to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) since June 14, 2024, for the submission of all project-related documents but all their communication has "fallen on deaf ears."

"Consequently, we have formally requested Secretary Manuel Bonoan for these documents to be submitted no later than Monday, July 1, 2024. This timeline allows committee members adequate time to review the materials thoroughly ahead of Wednesday’s hearing," it said.

It was Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero who mentioned that there is a need to review the NSB after learning that the expenses needed for its construction ballooned to P23 billion during a flag-raising ceremony last June 10.

Escudero expressed shock and disbelief at the unexpectedly high projected costs needed to complete the new Senate building, noting that these expenses are particularly hard to accept given the economic crisis most Filipinos face.

He mentioned that the NSB was initially budgeted at P8.9 billion and revealed that the cost of the project has now ballooned to P13 billion, with an additional P10 billion required for completion, bringing the total to P23 billion.

Yet Senator Nancy Binay already said in several interviews that the P23 billion mentioned is false.