Sotto dared: Cut P9.2-B city hall budget

Pasig City’s controversial P9.2-billion city hall project is “grossly overpriced” and should be slashed down to P2.7 billion, declared Curlee Discaya, husband of mayoral contender Sarah Discaya, as he challenged Mayor Vico Sotto to prove his administration’s commitment to transparency and good governance.

“This is what true good governance looks like — not just words, but action. And not just for show on social media, but with real compassion,” said Discaya, a contractor and owner of a quadruple-A construction firm.

‘Leadership isn’t about how much money you throw around — it’s about how wisely you spend it for the people’s welfare.’

Despite repeated requests for comment, Sotto has yet to squarely address allegations that the new Pasig City Hall is overpriced. Through the city’s public information office, Sotto responded briefly: “All processes are being followed properly. It’s not worth engaging if it’s repetitive or senseless.”

He dismissed the criticism as noise: “The rest are just repetitive and have already been answered — a clear attempt to get attention.”

But Discaya insisted that Pasig residents deserve a better deal. He said his wife’s administration could deliver a city hall of the same size, quality, and design for just P2.7 billion.

“Leadership isn’t about how much money you throw around — it’s about how wisely you spend it for the people’s welfare,” Discaya stressed. “A city hall should be a symbol of honest and caring service, not a monument of extravagance.”

He detailed an alternative vision for Pasig: for the same P8.7-billion budget currently earmarked just for the city hall, Sarah Discaya’s team proposes a new P2.7-billion city hall plus an 11-story hospital, multiple housing projects, schools, bridges, and key infrastructure improvements — all to be completed within three years.

Discaya pointed out that Sotto’s city hall project, at P210,000 per square meter, is on par with the costs of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. His wife’s proposal, by contrast, would bring the price down to P70,000 per square meter — “adequate, humane and fair.”

To avoid any conflict of interest, Discaya assured that his own company would not bid for or be involved in the construction, in compliance with Republic Act 9184, which bars relatives of elected officials from government projects.

The remaining P900 million from the recalibrated budget, Discaya said, would fund a zero-billing policy for city services from the first day of Sarah Discaya’s term.

“This is the kind of leadership Pasig deserves — smart, compassionate, and truly for the people,” Discaya said.

Meanwhile, the Sotto administration has continued to sidestep direct answers about whether the current project is inflated, insisting that all processes are above board but declining to refute specifics.

Discaya, however, is unrelenting. “Every peso must have a purpose. Every plan must serve. Every project must uplift,” he said. “That’s leadership with a heart.”