AS THE Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) is riddled with further delays and scrutiny, Mayor Michael Rama has urged the City Council to assist in expediting the completion of the public hospital.
In a phone interview on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, Rama told SunStar Cebu that it is not uncommon for the private sector to support various government agencies and local government units, particularly concerning public health programs and projects.
This was his response to the discussions and scrutiny during the council’s executive session last Thursday, Aug. 15, which sought the latest update on the CCMC construction.
Rama said Cebu City residents are in urgent need of a reliable hospital, and completing the CCMC would greatly benefit the community.
He also urged council members to visit the CCMC to assess the status of the public hospital.
Rama is currently serving a six-month preventive suspension since May by order of the Ombudsman over unpaid salaries of four City Hall employees.
Executive Session
On Thursday, the council, led by City Councilors Nestor Archival and Mary Ann Delos Santos, questioned officials from the CCMC and the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) about unauthorized ongoing construction at the public hospital, despite no contract having been awarded to any contractor.
During the session, it was revealed that Dakay Construction Development Corp. is conducting preparatory work for the construction of the eighth, ninth and 10th floors of the CCMC.
Delos Santos argued that the last contract for the facility was terminated in November 2022, and no new contracts have been awarded by the City Government to any contractor since then.
The council also raised concerns about the lack of a formal agreement regarding the P205 million in donated funds from the private sector, citing potential legal violations of donation guidelines.
The funds were directly downloaded to the Cebu Medical Society (CMS) and not to the City Treasurer’s Office, aimed at streamlining the allocation of funds for the construction. However, this setup might result in further transparency issues.
Delos Santos stressed that a tripartite agreement between the CMS, the private donor and the City Government must be sealed first before the funds are received as it will dictate how the funds will be allocated in the project.
The P205 million donated funds will be used for the construction of the structural framework of CCMC’s eighth, ninth and 10th floors. Donors selected Dakay Construction to lead civil works.
The last three floors of the hospital will house additional wards instead of private rooms from the original plan, aiming to accommodate more patients.
The council has urged the deferment of a separate P700 million budget allocation for the bidding process in the coming months, which will fund the finishing works of CCMC’s fourth to sixth floors, pending clarification on project scope and funding sources.
Help
The public hospital has been marred with controversies as it has remained unfinished since construction started 10 years ago.
On Aug. 14, Rama conducted an ocular inspection at the CCMC, particularly the unfinished portion of the hospital’s top floors which will be the eighth, ninth and 10th floors.
He also visited the ongoing civil works of Operation Smile on the seventh floor, adding that the hospital already has two functioning elevators.
On Friday, when asked for his assessment of his inspection, Rama said, “I’m happy because it’s moving (development) and they (the council) do not have to worry because wala ma’y kwarta sa City Hall (magamit) ana, wala.”
Rama stressed that his promise back in December 2023 to finish the CCMC’s last three of 10 floors will be completed without a single centavo from the City’s coffers being used.
He added that he has confidence in Dakay Construction due to the high quality of work, stressing that the latter has been recognized multiple times for helping the City Government achieve its various programs and projects.
“Kung gusto sila motabang, hala i-recognize nila ang tabang (If they want to help, let them recognize the help),” Rama said to the council.
He also assured that there would be no anomalous transactions with the private donations.
This was part of his series of investment and donation drives back in 2023 from the private sector in Metro Manila to finish the CCMC.
In March 2023, Rama announced that four Filipino private companies (SM Group, Ayala Group, Robinsons Group, and Filinvest Group) and a group of Chinese businessmen pledged nearly P1 billion in funds to complete the construction of the CCMC’s eighth to 10th floors. / EHP