Gatchalian flags PCO's infrastructure project in Bukidnon

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday flagged the Presidential Communications Office's (PCO) training building in Bukidnon, an ongoing infrastructure project which the agency's current leadership says falls outside its core mandate.

Citing the Commission on Audit's (COA) 2024 report on the PCO, Gatchalian said the agency contracted the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in 2019 for the construction of the Government Communication Academy in Bukidnon (Phase II) worth P45.7 million.

The senator said COA's 2020 to 2023 report also listed a similar project, but with a different amount of P79 million.

The facility has no budget allocation for 2026, as funds have already been allotted for the completion of the remaining 10% of construction, according to Gatchalian.

"Bakit may communications office ang PCO sa Bukidnon? (Why does the PCO have a communications office in Bukidnon?)" the senator asked.

For his part, PCO Secretary Dave Gomez said, "I completely agree with Sen. Gatchalian's opinion."

"The previous administration should have not engaged in such a public works project that falls outside our core responsibility," Gomez said.

The PCO earlier said the project, initiated under the Duterte administration, was originally intended as a training center for communication offices under Malacañang and its attached agencies.

GMA News Online has requested comment on the matter from Martin Andanar, who was secretary of the Presidential Communications Office when it contracted the DPWH for the project in 2019. He has yet to respond as of posting time.

Gatchalian said, "We've already spent P124 million, and the project is 90% complete. If we don't finish this, it becomes a white elephant."

The PCO is currently planning to donate the facility to the Northern Bukidnon State College once completed. 

"The building's donation to the Northern Bukidnon State College is already being finalized. Maraming mga mag-aaral sa atin state college sa Bukidnon ang makikinabang dito (A lot of students in the state college in Bukidnon would benefit from this)," Gomez said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News