Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero was so shocked by the steep price tag of the new Senate building that he had its construction halted pending a “comprehensive review.”
The jump in project cost from P8.9 billion to a projected P23.3 billion was disclosed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, new chair of the accounts committee now inquiring into the Senate’s new home being built in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
The hearing on July 3 came to a head when Cayetano and Sen. Nancy Binay, former chair of the accounts committee, tangled over differences in the total project cost. Binay walked out and filed an ethics complaint against her colleague.
The deal was awarded to Hilmarc’s Construction Corp., the same firm that constructed the allegedly overpriced P2.3-billion Makati City Hall Building II on the watch of Mayor Jejomar Binay, the senator’s father. This was investigated by senators, including Cayetano, way back in 2014.
“The P25 to P27 billion [projected cost] could be a little bit conservative,’’ Cayetano was quoted as telling GMA News Online. “It’s coming out to be the most expensive building in the country so far and we will try to remedy that.”
Cayetano himself had come under fire over the costly P50-million Southeast Asia Games stadium cauldron in 2019. When the country hosted the SEA Games that year, he was chair of the games’ organizing committee.
While the Senate has been gung-ho on investigating anomalies, some members have not been spared from allegations of wrongdoing.
Six of the seven sitting senators eligible for reelection in 2025 have faced investigation for alleged corruption, but a political scientist said these allegations aren’t top of mind for Filipinos.
If elections were held last month, Senators Christopher Lawrence ‘’Bong” Go, Imee Marcos, Ronald “Bato’’ dela Rosa and Ramon Revilla Jr. would even land in the top 10, based on the Pulse Asia survey on senatorial preferences.
Political scientist Alicor Panao said many Filipinos are “particularistic” and often tend to remember tangible benefits more than controversies when evaluating a public official.
“Maaalala nila ang mabuting ginawa ng mga kandidato, pero kadalasan hindi natin inii-scrutinize yung nagawang masama. Hangga’t maaari hindi ‘yan mangangalap ng information … tamad manuri. [Hindi na tinitingnan] ang credentials, ang track record,” he told the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.
His observation jibed with a Pulse Asia survey in June which showed that controlling inflation, increasing workers’ pay, reducing poverty and creating more jobs were the top most urgent concerns of Filipinos. Fighting graft and corruption in government only ranked fifth.
Go, together with former President Rodrigo Duterte and two others, is facing complaints of plunder and graft filed by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in the Department of Justice on July 5.
Trillanes alleged that construction firms owned by Go’s father and half-brother won P6.6 billion worth of projects from the Department of Public Works and Highways from 2007 to 2018, when Duterte was Davao City mayor and President, and Go was his aide. Go has denied the allegations.
Marcos, sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was investigated by the Ombudsman in 2018 for the purchase of allegedly overpriced minicabs on her watch as Ilocos Norte governor.
In 2016 then Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said she would investigate claims by Dela Rosa that he enjoyed freebies during his colleague Manny Pacquiao’s fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Revilla was tried on plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork barrel scam in 2014, but was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan.
Sen. Lito Lapid is being tried for graft in the Sandiganbayan for his alleged role in the multi-million peso fertilizer fund scam in 2014. The anti-graft court dismissed the case in 2016, but the Supreme Court reversed the ruling three years later.
In 2010 Sen. Francis Tolentino, together with his brother, also faced complaints of plunder, graft, malversation and money laundering in the Ombudsman.
‘Pork barrel’ scam
At least 13 of the 23 incumbent senators (minus Sonny Angara who was recently appointed Education Secretary) have been implicated in irregularities, according to news reports.
So far only Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was convicted of direct and indirect bribery and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan in connection with 2013 “pork barrel’’ scam. Pending the finality of the Sandiganbayan ruling, he retained his seat in the upper chamber.
Senators Revilla, Lapid, Cayetano, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Lito Lapid and Cynthia Villar were also implicated in the pork scam.
Several lawmakers, in collusion with businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, defrauded the government of billions of pesos by siphoning their pork barrel allocations into ghost projects and bogus non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Basic needs vs good legislation
Even when picking candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives, Filipinos prefer those who can address their most basic and immediate needs over those who are good at crafting legislation, Panao said.
“Halimbawa, may representative ka na magpapanukala ng divorce or bagong tax measures na makikinabang ang lahat. Hindi niya ikakapanalo ‘yun at a local level … ang need nila, specific din — kalye, waiting shed, basketball court, lamay, scholarship,” he said.
Panao is an associate professor at the University of the Philippines’ Department of Political Science.
While Filipinos are still far from achieving electoral maturity, they should not be blamed for electing officials based on personal needs rather than public good, Panao said.
“Rational ang mga botante, kaya nga nila ginagawa ‘yun e. Kasi hindi nila maalpasan ‘yung mga mas kailangan … kasi nga gutom sila,” he said.
Because of this, some voters would even go so far as to justify corruption if it results in significant benefits or assistance, according to Panao. This also explains why many politicians enjoy public support despite allegations of corruption against them.
“Sa iba, parang healthy pa nga [ang corruption]. Kasi para sa iba, ang corruption ay grease [na nagpapadulas] sa otherwise mahihirap na proseso. Dahil may padrino o politikong humahawak dito, ang dali lang,” Panao said.
What Filipino voters need
With the midterm elections in May 2025 just 10 months away, Panao said Filipinos need stronger voter education.
“Para malampasan natin ‘yung isang kahig, isang tuka na pagpili ng [kandidato], i-educate natin ang mga Filipino. Para kasing investment ‘yan, tinuturuan mo ang mga botante na mag-invest sa isang mahusay na pinuno,” he said.
Panao observed that many Filipinos tend to resort to a vote “discount”’: they sell their votes for immediate benefits, often at a lower “price” or in exchange for short-term gains.
“Alam ng mga botante na hindi na magpapakita ang kandidato [after elections]. ‘Makakalimutan na niya ako.’ Kaya ang gagawin, para makuha na agad ‘yung dapat makuha sa kaniya, ibebenta na ‘yung boto at a discount,” he said.
To break this cycle, voters must understand the importance of investing in good governance and voting with long-term goals in mind, the professor said.
“Investment dapat. Tiis-tiis muna, hindi natin agad makukuha ‘yung gusto natin. Pero in the long run, makikinabang ang lahat dahil nagbabantay tayo sa uri ng kandidato. Ini-iscrutinize natin ‘yung performance nila,” he said. — PCIJ.org