Engineer Selwyn Lao and fellow contractor Curlee Discaya have raised red flags over the ₱9.6-billion Pasig City Hall construction project, citing irregularities in the bidding process and excessive costs.
Lao questioned how MTD Philippines Inc.—the firm behind the unsolicited proposal and the eventual winning bidder—was given what he called an unfair advantage, pointing out that it lacks a Philippine construction license and proper tax documents.
He criticized the engineering design’s ₱865-million price tag as bloated, claiming the actual cost should be a fraction of that.
Discaya echoed concerns, urging Mayor Vico Sotto to slash the budget by two-thirds and divert funds to healthcare and education, noting that the current per-square-meter cost is triple industry norms.
In response, Sotto dismissed the claims as misleading and politically motivated, vowing to release full cost details once finalized and ensure transparency in the process.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 26, 2025
