Senate starts negotiations for transfer to Film Center bldg

Despite persistent ghost stories about the Film Center of the Philippines building, the Senate leadership is bent on transferring the chamber's offices there to save money. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said they are now in the process of negotiating with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) for the lease of the building, which overlooks Manila Bay. He said the Senate initially thought of constructing its own building, but due to the tragedy caused by tropical storm “Ondoy" and the huge national budget deficit, it has decided to just rent a building at a cost lower than what it spends on its present location — the GSIS building. “Rerentahan lang po natin at a lot lower cost with what we are paying now sa GSIS. Kasi dito po we are paying, if I’m not mistaken, over a hundred million pesos a year rental," Zubiri said. The Senate is paying P120 million a year to the GSIS. He said the construction of a new building would cost the Senate some P500 million to P1 billion. He said they started their talks with the CCP administration Monday, which they followed with another meeting Tuesday. Zubiri expects to finalize their negotiation before December. “We are planning (the transfer in time) for the 15th Congress which is next year.Ire-renovate pa kasi," the senator said. He said Senator Edgardo Angara, finance committee chairman, is set to conduct an inspection on the Film Center to check the structural integrity and soundness of the building. He said they were told that the Film Center is structurally sound but the electrical pipings and water systems should be renovated. Instead of paying for the rent next year, the Senate can use the budget to renovate the Film Center. He said he was looking forward to the transfer to Film Center which is bigger and wider than the Senate’s present location. Zubiri said he has been to other senates around the world and it is embarrassing that only the Philippine Senate does not have its own building. Asked if they have the backing of the other senatorsr, Zubiri said most those they have spoken to are agreeable because they will save on rent. Exorcise the ghosts On rumors about the presence of ghosts in the Film Center, Zubiri said he does not believe in ghosts but they can have the building blessed five times and put a resident priest just to allay fears. The rumor is that the unused building abounds with ghosts of construction workers supposed to have been buried in wet cement when the upper floor collapsed sometime in November 1981. Construction of the building was being rushed on orders of then First Lady Imelda R. Marcos for the 1982 Manila International Film Festival. As a result of the accident and due to structural defects, the building ended up as a white elephant. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said he also wants a permanent building that would house both the Senate and House of Representatives, but for now he would prefer the Film Center. “Separateness (of the Senate and HOR) connotes division, mas mabuti ‘yung we are one Congress, two houses remain in same building, if they want, if not then we will get that property for the Senate," he said. He said the Film Center is a well constructed building but fails to get occupants due to superstitions. Enrile confirmed that there were indeed workers who died when the building was being constructed, but he wondered why people are afraid of ghosts. “May mga superstitious people. Ako mas takot ako dun sa buhay na tao kesa sa patay na tao (There are superstitious people. I am more afraid of the quick than the dead)," he said. Happy to see a ghost Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago agreed with Enrile. “Let us start constructing or at least establishing our own office instead of renting here from the GSIS … I prefer that we spend more now and never have to spend again rather than just keep on paying rentals, in millions every month and never have the opportunity to have a building of our own," Santiago said in a separate interview. On the reported presence of ghosts, she said she would be glad if she would see one. “I’ve chased ghosts all my life and I’ve never caught one yet so I would be very happy to stay there overnight at least for the first day just so that I can see my first ghost because I’ve never seen one," she said. She added: “I just want to tell the ghost ‘ your supposed to be on another level of existence, not here, so go back. I’ll even teach you how’. I never believe (in ghost) unless I see it." - GMANews.TV