REPAIRS have begun at the Provincial Hospital in Bogo City, which was damaged after the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on September 30, 2025, claiming more than 70 lives and injuring over 500 people.
ZLREJ Construction Corporation has deployed an initial team of around 60 engineers and skilled workers to work on medical facility buildings 1 and 17, including the emergency room and operating room — both critical areas for patient care.
This effort is part of the response to the call made by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on October 1, 2025, during his visit to the hospital.
Dizon urged contractors in Cebu to help in the post-earthquake rebuilding efforts, especially in hospitals.
The repair operations were launched in coordination with the DPWH Regional Office, following a comprehensive structural assessment conducted by engineers from the DPWH Central Office and Central Visayas.
After the assessment, the hospital was declared “structurally sound,” meaning it required urgent repairs that should begin immediately.
In response, ZLREJ Construction quickly mobilized its emergency response teams to start repairs on the damaged facility, following Dizon’s directive to “call all contractors and implement repairs immediately.”
“I told the RD tawagan na lahat ng contractor… Sasabihan ko na ang mga private contractor, gawin na nila ito immediately. Mamaya na tayo mag kwentahan dyan, importante we get it up and running immediately,” Dizon told members of the media during an interview in Bogo City.
(I told the regional director to contact all contractors… I will tell the private contractors to do this immediately. We can settle the costs later — what’s important is to get it up and running right away.)
ZLREJ Construction Chief Operating Officer Manlalaban Rejzl Awit assured that the company is committed to fast-tracking the rebuilding and recovery efforts.
“We will do our best to fast-track the hospital repair and make it usable within a week,” Awit said.
Awit added that ZLREJ Construction arrived at ground zero a day after the disaster in northern Cebu and immediately joined emergency disaster response and reconstruction efforts.
The repair work includes restoring damaged hospital floors, walls, and roof decks, as well as fixing water leaks caused by the strong quake.
The company aims to make the hospital’s emergency department fully operational within a week and the operating room within a month to serve patients currently being treated in temporary outdoor facilities.
Aside from hospital repairs, ZLREJ also expanded its emergency response by deploying heavy equipment — including backhoes — to help construct a Tent City that serves as a temporary evacuation shelter for disaster victims in Bogo City.
The company also deployed dump trucks to transport relief goods and other supplies for residents in Cebu’s Fourth District. (AYB)