The construction of the new Pasig City Hall , with a budget of P9.2 billion, is set to begin after Mayor Vico Sotto officially signed the contract on Monday, Jan. 13, marking the start of a future-ready facility for the Pasigueños.
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During the event, the local government explained the processes involved and introduced the individuals who will be part of the construction of what is set to be the city's "biggest infrastructure project."
The project was initiated because it was reported in 2019 that cracks and damages were found in the City Hall, and since there were no available records or plans for the building, the City Hall engineers were not able to conduct a proper structural assessment.
It said that the City Hall was no longer safe for its employees and clients.
The local government then hired a structural engineering firm to evaluate the City Hall. One of their findings was “The buildings that comprise the Pasig City Hall are not structurally sound and no longer safe to occupy.”
Sotto said that the Pasig City Hall Construction Consortium, which will be the partner in the project, has already proven its track record not only in the country but also in various parts of the world.
He said that the original plan was just to retrofit, but after talking to several architects and engineers who did not recommend it, he saw building a new City Hall as the best option to ensure safety for the Pasigueños.
As the project is set to begin, the mayor stated that it is bigger than any one of them, saying that the project is something that will last for generations to come.
“Kung kailangan na lang din natin gumawa ng bagong City Hall, gandahan na natin. Siguraduhin natin na ito pong istruktura, hindi mananatiling o hindi magiging isang project lang, na naisip lang natin gumawa ng project, kundi po, siguraduhin natin na maipamamana natin ito sa mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga Pasigueño (If we need to build a new City Hall, let's make it beautiful. Let's ensure that this structure will not just be a one-time project, but something we can pass onto future generations of Pasigueños),” he said.
“Siguraduhin natin na ito po ay future ready. Siguraduhin natin na itong building na ito, itong new City Hall na ito, kasi hindi lang po building 'yung pinag-uusapan natin, kundi 'yung dalawang ektarya po ng lupa, kasama 'yung road network, kasama 'yung mga ibang plaza, we will make sure that what we build will last for 100 years (Let's make sure this is future-ready. Let's ensure that this building, this new City Hall, is not just about the building itself, but also the two hectares of land, including the road network and other plazas. We will make sure that what we build will last for 100 years),” Sotto added.
The mayor also said that he wants to prove to the people that the government can create good and high-quality projects at the right price, without any corruption involved.
“Tayo po sa lungsod ng Pasig, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Ipapakita po natin sa tao. Ipakita natin sa bawat Pasigueno at bawat Pilipino na posible na gumawa ang gobyerno ng proyekto na maganda. Posible na gumawa ang gobyerno ng proyekto na maayos. Posible na gumawa ang gobyerno ng proyekto na dekalidad sa tamang presyo at walang korapsyon (In Pasig City, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will show the people, show every Pasigueño and every Filipino, that it is possible for the government to build beautiful projects. It is possible for the government to build well-executed projects. It is possible for the government to build high-quality projects at the right price and without corruption),” he said.
Transparency
The local government also explained and outlined why the project is valued at P9.2 billion.
Initially, it stated that the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) during the procurement bidding process was P9.6 billion (price ceiling). However, the bid cost proposal from the winning contractor, Pasig City Hall Construction Consortium, is P9.2 billion.
City Administrator Lawyer Jeronimo Manzanero mentioned that the total construction cost is P8,269,436,471.17, which includes P5.7 billion for the city hall infrastructure and P2.5 billion for additional works.
The following includes the breakdown of costs, such as mechanical works, special features, and additional works:
