Overpriced parking building in Makati houses offices too, city exec says

MANILA, PhilippinesThe 12-story building cited in the plunder case filed at the Office of the Ombudsman is not entirely a parking building as it has office spaces in a number of floors, the city government of Makati clarified on Wednesday.

Named respondents in the plunder case for alleged overpriced construction of the building were Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Junjun Binay, and his father Vice President Jejomar Binay, among others.

But city administrator Eleno Mendoza Jr. explained that the 12-story building is actually an office building with parking floors, with five floors of parking spaces and six floors of office spaces.

We would like to clarify that the building being questioned is not merely a parking building, Mendoza said in a statement.

The parking areas are located in the basement and in the second up to sixth floors. The ground floor, seventh up to 10thfloors house various offices, including frontline service offices, while the 11thand 12thfloors hold the storage facilities and some office spaces, he said.

Mendoza said the building, which was completed last March 2013, is considered a green building with its green architectural design.

He said the building has a landscaped roof deck, atrium at the seventh floor, LED lighting, and glass walls and panels that allow for sunlight to provide natural illumination to most areas during daytime.

Vice President Jejomar Binay (left), his son Makati Mayor Junjun Binay (right) and 23 others face plunder case over the alleged unconscionable overpricing in the construction of an 11-story parking building (inset) that the city government supposedly built for P1.56 billion. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

To ensure the strength and stability of the building, which stands on an area with soil type classified as soft soil, the city administrator said, bored piles and steel sheet piling were used for its foundation.

It also has granite tile flooring, centralized air-conditioning, two elevators, conference rooms and mini-function halls, and other modern amenities, Mendoza said.

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Overpriced parking building in Makati houses offices too, city exec says