New Senate Building (Philippines)

The New Senate (Filipino: Bagong Senado),^[2] also known as the New Senate Building is a government building under construction in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is set to be the new building of the Senate of the Philippines starting in 2024.

New Senate Building
Bagong Senado
Building under construction in November 2023
General information
Status	Topped-out
Location	Philippine Navy Village, Bonifacio Capital District, Fort Bonifacio
Town or city	Taguig
Country	Philippines
Topped-out	July 20, 2023
Cost	₱8.9 billion
Height	54 m (177 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	11 (+3 basement)
Floor area	85,925 m^2 (924,890 sq ft)
Grounds	18,320 m^2 (197,200 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architecture firm	AECOM
Main contractor	Hilmarc's Construction Corp.
Other information
Parking	1,200
References
^[1]

History

Background

The Senate of the Philippines has been renting space spanning six floors at the GSIS Building since 1997.^[3][4] It has been proposed for years that the Senate relocate to a new dedicated building. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in 2000 first proposed the move when he was still Senate president.^[5] One rationale for the move was the high rental costs^[a] the Senate pays to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the use of their building.^[6][7]

A senate building was constructed at the Batasan area with ₱41.163 million spent for the construction. However the project was discontinued and the building was repurposed for the electoral tribunals of the Senate and the House of Representatives.^[9]

2017 initiative

It was only in 2017, that plans for a new Senate Building had significant progress. Senator Win Gatchalian filed PS Resolution No. 293 which created an ad hoc committee to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a new Senate building.^[4]

In November 21, 2017, the Senate selected Fort Bonifacio in Taguig as the site of the new Senate building taking into account various factors such as accessibility, costs, and opinion poll from Senate employees.^[10][11] Antipolo in Rizal was the other option considered.^[11][12] In January 2018, the Senate has pledge to purchase a lot from the Bases Conversion Development Authority^[13]

Design selection

In February 2018, a design competition for the New Senate Buildingwas open to entrants. 40 firms (16 domestic and 24 foreign) expressed interest to participate. Five were shortlisted to come up and present a design for a new Senate building. These firms are AECOM, Aidea, Henning Larsen Architects, Leeser Architecture, and Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects.^[3] AECOM's design was selected as the winning entry.^[5]

Construction

 

Building under construction as of 2023.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the New Senate Building was held on March 18, 2019, with the structure initially set to be completed by 2022.^[14] The Department of Public Works and Highways implemmented the construction for the new Senate building project, which in turn awarded Hilmarc Construction Corporation the contract.^[15][16] A budget of ₱8.9 billion was allocated for the construction project.^[17][18]

Construction would be disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.^[19] The building was topped-out on July 20, 2023.^[20]

The Senate projects to hold its first meeting in the building in July 2024.^[21]

Architecture and design

AECOM is the architect responsible for the New Senate Building.^[5] It is a complex of four office buildings on a podium structure. The Senate plenary hall is situated in the central part of the podium which is adjacent to the four towers. The sun in the Philippine flag served as inspiration for the structure's form, the Banaue Rice Terraces for its internal greening and facade, and the Barong Tagalog for its external facade.^[1]

Notes

1. Historical monthly renting costs:
   • ₱100,000 in 2008^[6]
   • ₱110,000 in 2012^[7]
   • ₱127,000 in 2018^[8]

References

1. "Philippines New Senate Building by AECOM". MUSE Design Awards. 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
2. "Bagong Senado New Senate Building". AECOMM. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
3. Yulo, Angel (April 3, 2018). "5 firms shortlisted to design the new Senate building". BluPrint. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
4. Formalejo, Rick (July 25, 2022). ""Bagong Senado": The Senate of the Philippines' New Home". BluPrint. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
5. Legazpi, Amita (May 28, 2018). "Senate picks winner of design for new building". GMA News. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
6. Mendez, Christina (September 22, 2008). "Senate spending P100 M annually for office space; Miriam wants new building". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
7. Evangelista, Kate (June 28, 2012). "High rent forces Senate to relocate". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
8. Yap, D. J. (June 18, 2022). "Senate frowns on new gov't buildings, except its own". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
9. Uy, Sasha Lim (May 29, 2018). "The Senate is About to Get a Stylish New Home, After Decades of Planning". Esquire. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
10. "Senate approves office transfer to BGC [sic] by 2020". The Philippine Star. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
11. "Senate Committee Report No. 170" (PDF). November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
12. Manglinong, Dan (May 29, 2018). "Is Fort Bonifacio the best choice for the Senate's new home?". Interaksyon. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
13. Elemia, Camille (March 20, 2018). "After 17 years, construction of Senate building moves forward". Rappler. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
14. "DPWH starts construction of New Senate Home in Fort Bonifacio". Department of Public Works and Highways. March 18, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
15. Bordey, Hana (September 28, 2021). "Senators: Duterte should ask DPWH on bidding process of new Senate building". GMA News. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
16. Aguilar, Krissy (September 28, 2021). "Duterte questions choice of controversial contractor for new Senate building". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
17. "Senators hope new Senate building finished by 2024". ABS-CBN News. June 3, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
18. "Contract ID No.: 18Z00036 - The Design and Build Contract for the Construction of the New Senate Building, Senate of the Philippines, Navy Village, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City" (PDF). Department of Public Works and Highways, Hillmarc Construction Corporation.
19. Pinlac, Beatrice (July 20, 2023). "New Senate building 'on target to open for partial operations by July 2024' – Nancy Binay". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
20. De Leon, Susan (July 21, 2023). "New Senate building in Taguig nears completion". Retrieved November 8, 2023.
21. Gascon, Melvin (July 21, 2023). "Senate hopes new, P9-B home ready by July 2024". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 8, 2023.