A photo is circulating in social media comparing the controversial Makati City Hall Building with London’s City Hall Building, which roughly costs the same price. Recently, the Makati City Hall and the Binay family are under fire for the building, which Makati mayor Junjun Binay has called “world-class” at a Senate hearing to discuss allegations of it being overpriced.
Makati City Hall, Cost: P2.70B London City Hall, Cost: P2.75B
? Construction Period: 2007 – 2013 ? Construction Period: 1998-2002
? Stands on alleged soft soil ? Stands beside RIVER
? Made up of 10 storeys ? Made up of 10 storeys
(5 for parking, 5 for office space) (All 10 are for office space)
? Has only 2 elevators ? Has 7 elevators
? Made up of reinforced concrete ? Made up of reinforced concrete,
and glass structural steel and glazed glass
? Without shading devices ? With shading devices
The two buildings are the closest that can be compared (as opposed to making comparisons with hotels, hospitals and condominiums) but anyone can make a decision as to which is really world class.
There is absolutely nothing exceptional or unusual about the design, the finishes, materials used and quality of the Makati building for it to be claimed WORLD CLASS. Makati Mayor Binay will never be able to prove that PHP2.7 billion was entirely used to construct the building.
The Commission on Audit (COA) is currently conducting an investigation on the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building which has become a basis for a plunder complaint filed against Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“We are putting together a team of auditors and we’re getting experts outside our office to look at it again,” COA commissioner Grace Pulido-Tan said during the second day of the Good Governance Dialogues held in Quezon City. The alleged overpricing of the 10-storey building—the construction of which was approved in 2007 during Binay’s term as Makati mayor—is the subject of a current investigation by the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee. (GMA News)