Palace rejects Discaya camp claim over PH Film Heritage site contract

Malacañang on Saturday belied the claim of Sarah and Curlee Discaya's camp that the unfinished works at the Philippine Film Heritage Building in Intramuros, Manila City were not part of their contract.

In a statement, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the supposed contract mentioned by Atty. Cornelio Samaniego, the counsel of the Discaya couple, "is not the same work/contract" which was allegedly completed by his clients in December 2024. 

Castro said "wrong information given to the media may cause confusion to the people."

The Palace official said the contractor, referring to the Discayas, "voluntarily" entered into a Contact Agreement dated January 2, 2025 with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), "wherein the contractor agreed to execute the 'works' under Contract ID No. 230H0119: Local Program/ National Building Program/ Buildings and other Structures- Multi-Purpose/Facilities- Construction of FDCP Film Heritage Building located in Intramuros, Manila for the total contract price of P107,983,255.11."

"This contract has a project duration of 240 calendar days with the original expiry date on September 4, 2025," Castro said.

"Common sense will dictate us that the contractor cannot finish the project in December 2024 when the contract was merely executed into a contract on January 2, 2025," she added.

Earlier, Samaniego said in media interviews that the Philippine Film Heritage Building project was divided in two phases, and that Phase 1 was turned over to Discaya-led Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor Inc. 

Phase 2, Samaniego said, began in January 2025 and was contracted to a different company.

He said the Phase 1 was completed in December 2024.

This week, Malacañang announced that Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor will be investigated for alleged substandard work on the Philippine Film Heritage Building. 

Based on the information released by Castro, observations included the improper placement of downspouts, and that the finishing of one elevator did not meet quality standards. 

Further, some areas do not have tiles, Castro said. 

She said the contractor could face charges over the substandard reconstruction of the building.

"The Discayas should study first all the contracts entered into by and between Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor Inc. (as Contractor) and DPWH. They might have forgotten their commitments considering the numerous projects that they got from the government," she said.

GMA News Online reached out to Samaniego for comment, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

First Lady Louise "Liza" Araneta-Marcos recently took to social media her dismay over the alleged substandard work on the Philippine Film Heritage Building.

Lamenting observed deficiencies at the facility, she stressed that Filipino artists deserve respect and "not this rotten monument of incompetence." — VDV, GMA Integrated News