Mayor Vico Sotto shows safety hazards inside Pasig City Hall | PEP Exclusives

Summary

In this video, Mayor Vico Sotto gives a tour of the Pasig City Hall and discusses the structural issues with the building, including uneven flooring and cracks in the foundation. He highlights the unsafe conditions for the 14,000 daily visitors and employees, emphasizing the urgent need for a new city hall. Sotto outlines plans for a safer, future-proof building and explains the financial strategy behind the project, which is estimated at 9.6 billion pesos. He also stresses transparency, ensuring no corruption in the process, and the goal of setting a legacy of good governance.

Takeaways

• 🏢 Vico Soto discusses the condition of the Pasig City Hall, emphasizing safety concerns due to structural issues.
• ⚠️ The building is considered 'structurally unsound,' with visible signs like uneven floors and cracks, posing a danger to the 14,000 people who pass through daily.
• 🔨 The Mayor’s office has hired engineering consultants who recommend rebuilding instead of retrofitting due to the extensive damage.
• 🚨 The City Hall has recorded false earthquake readings and experienced internal movements, further indicating instability.
• 📉 There are no existing blueprints or as-built plans for the current building, complicating the efforts to assess and repair it.
• 🏗️ Plans are being made for a new, safer, and well-planned City Hall that will last 50-100 years, ensuring it meets modern building and fire codes.
• 💡 The new City Hall will maximize the land's potential, with a focus on safety, economic value, and efficient space usage.
• 💰 The project will cost approximately ₱9.6 billion, covering not just the building but also interior fit-outs, computers, and office necessities.
• 🎯 The funding for the project will come from the city's surplus and savings, with no impact on other city programs or projects.
• 🚫 Mayor Vico Soto aims to prove that large government projects can be completed without corruption and at high quality, using honest governance.

Q & A

What structural issues were identified in the Pasig City Hall building?

The building has been deemed structurally unsound, with signs of instability like uneven flooring, doors that are difficult to open, and large cracks in support columns. Engineers confirmed the building is unsafe, posing risks to the 14,000 people who pass through it daily.

What was the response to the structural assessment of Pasig City Hall?

The local government, led by Mayor Vico Sotto, decided to relocate temporarily to Barangay Rosario while constructing a new city hall. An engineering consultant confirmed that retrofitting would not be a viable option, leading to the decision to build a safer, future-proof facility.

Why is the retrofitting of the current building not being pursued?

Several engineers and consultants advised against retrofitting, citing difficulties in planning and concerns about the building’s internal structure. Mayor Sotto also highlighted the lack of blueprints or 'as-built' plans, which made it difficult to assess and address the building's problems adequately.

How is the new Pasig City Hall project being funded?

The project is being funded through savings from the city's procurement reforms, which have saved the city approximately 1 billion pesos per year since 2019. This surplus, accumulated over the years, is being allocated to the construction of the new city hall without affecting the city's regular programs and activities.

What are the key goals for the new Pasig City Hall project?

The new city hall aims to be a well-planned, safe, and future-proof building. The project focuses on creating a space that maximizes the economic potential of the 8-hectare city hall complex, ensuring it will be resilient to natural disasters like earthquakes and typhoons, and providing better public services.

What prompted the decision to build a new city hall instead of renovating the old one?

The old city hall was found to have major safety issues, including structural instability and violations of fire and building codes. With 14,000 daily visitors and employees, the safety risks were too significant to ignore, prompting the city government to prioritize the construction of a new, safer facility.

What is the expected timeline for the completion of the new city hall?

The new city hall is expected to be completed in two years. During this time, city hall operations will temporarily relocate to a facility in Barangay Rosario.

What challenges did the Pasig government face when trying to plan for the city hall redevelopment?

One of the major challenges was the lack of 'as-built' plans or blueprints for the old building. This made it difficult to assess and address the existing structural issues, which in turn complicated the planning process for the redevelopment.

How does Mayor Vico Sotto view this project in terms of governance and public trust?

Mayor Sotto sees the project as an opportunity to demonstrate honest and transparent governance. He believes that by delivering a high-quality, corruption-free project, the local government can restore public trust, particularly given the widespread disillusionment with government projects being substandard or corrupt.

How does the new city hall plan address potential future disasters like earthquakes?

The new city hall is being designed to withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons. This 'future-proof' approach ensures that the building will remain safe and operational in the face of extreme events, protecting both employees and the public.