P700,000 PER TOILET
About 30 public comfort rooms with three to five cubicles each on the ground and second floor lobbies were reconstructed, with glossy tiles and modern bowls and sinks, making these comparable to hotel facilities.

Each toilet supposedly cost as much P700, 000.

	REFURBISHED toilets sport glossy tiles and elegant faucets and sinks. [photo by Tita Valderama]

Asked about the costing, Adasa says some comfort rooms indeed cost that much because damaged toilet bowls and sinks were replaced, and the floor and walls were tiled. Other toilets now have a “washing area” for Muslim visitors and House members.

The walls leading to the main lobby that serves as a gallery for photographs of House speakers were painted neon green and the other side leading to the side entrances to the plenary hall now sport an orange coat.

The lighting system for the building was replaced with energy-saving fluorescent bulbs.

The improvised storage room for ballot boxes in the allegedly rigged 2004 elections was removed from the South Wing lobby and returned to the Commission on Elections upon an order from the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, Adasa says.

The area had been cleared, re-tiled and enclosed with glass panels to serve as a social hall for parties, photo or product exhibits and other events, according to Yap.

The medical/dental clinic and legislative research office that used to be located at the North Wing lobby were temporarily moved to meeting rooms at the Mitra building next to the North Wing. These will soon be housed permanently at the covered multi-purpose building near the food court, Yap says.

She notes that since 1977, the Batasang Pambansa building had only one minor renovation in 1999.

“Except for the retiling of the interior lobby of the main building and refurbishing of the session hall during the incumbency of then Speaker Manuel Villar Jr., there has not been any major repair and rehabilitation of the building and its facilities for the past 30 years,” she says.

The massive renovation project under Nograles puts to question the priorities of the House, especially as the people await Arroyo's SONA. According to Prof. Briones: “the SONA is not only about the President but also about Congress. There is a question of transparency here. Where does the funding come from?”

“Is it coming from the President's Special Purpose Funds? Or are they going to transfer or postpone scheduled projects to accommodate the need to beautify Congress?” she asks.