MAYOR Michael Rama will inspect the work progress on the third and fourth floors of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) on N. Bacalso Avenue next week.
The mayor had warned that he would cancel the contract of M.E. Sicat Construction Inc., the project’s contractor, if it failed to complete the construction before his 68th birthday on Oct. 28, 2022.
M.E. Sicat Construction won the P900-million contract for the fourth phase of the CCMC building, which initially covered the physical features of the remaining floors of the 10-story hospital. It also included completing and furnishing interiors of the fourth and fifth floors.
At the end of July, however, Rama ordered the contractor to concentrate on finishing the fourth and fifth floors so these could be used for daily operations before the end of the year.
“I will issue a comment maybe after my birthday. I will be inspecting the third and fourth floors next week. If I don’t see any substantial output on my birthday, I may have to pursue other moves,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
The mayor “envisions CCMC to be a specialty hospital and called the facility a ‘poor man’s hospital with rich man’s services, love, care, compassion assured’.”
Rama had the old CCMC demolished in February 2014 after it was declared unsafe for occupancy after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in October 2013.
The mayor said he would not stop conducting “investors’ interaction” to finish the interiors of the new CCMC.
The CCMC was given a level 2 accreditation by the Department of Health in August for its improved facilities and services.
CCMC administrator Sonia Empinado said the hospital has 225 beds. It also operates an intensive care unit with 10 beds and an ambulance, both of which are also accredited by the health department. (PAC / PJB)