Senate inspects ‘overpriced’ Makati Science High School building

MANILA – The Senate Blue Ribbon committee led by Senators Koko Pimentel and Antonio Trillanes inspected the allegedly overpriced Makati Science High School (MSHS) building on Saturday.

An onsite inspection was conducted by the two senators with several experts, the building engineer, the city administrator, and the school principal, Evangelina Apolinario.

The two senators, however said in a press briefing that they have yet to determine the cost of the building which was initially estimated at P1.33 billion.

The said price is inclusive of the structure only and the equipments inside the building is still not included in the computation.

The construction of the building’s upper three floors is still currently ongoing, according to Pimentel.

As of the moment, only the basement and the first seven floors of the 10-storey building are operational.

A 20-room dormitory which can accommodate a total of 240 students is located in the eighth floor of the building while the upper two floors is where the auditorium is located.

While the said building was allegedly overpriced, Pimentel said he was somehow satisfied with the quality of the structure.

“Well compared to the other government buildings I’ve been to, I’m satisfied with what I’ve seen. Sa tingin ko — I’m not an engineer ha, I’m a laywer — mukha namang matibay. Yung staircases, mukha namang safe sa mga bata,” he said.

(I think – though I’m not an engineer, I’m a lawyer – the structure looks sturdy. The staircases seemed safe for the students.)

Trillanes, however said that while the building looks sturdy, the need to investigate the price of the building still remains.

“The building itself, by observation, maganda naman (is quite good). Pero ang tanong dito (But the question is): Did we pay the right price? Yun yung ide-determine natin dito sa investigation na ito (That is what we are going to determine in this investigation),” he said.