MANDAUE City officials are seeking help from senators to fund two of the City’s biggest infrastructure priorities under Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano’s administration: a new city hospital and the expansion of the Mandaue City College.
The combined estimated cost of these projects is P1.5 billion.
A delegation from the city, led by Mayor Ouano, Lone District Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon and Opao Barangay Captain Nixon Dizon, visited the Senate on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.
They personally lobbied for funding support and national partnerships.
The team met with Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Bong Go, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, JV Ejercito and Lito Lapid to present the City’s proposals and formally request budget allocations for the two projects.
In a Thursday, Aug. 7, interview, City Administrator Sally Malig-on said the visit was part of the City’s efforts to directly appeal for national assistance, particularly for infrastructure that the city’s current budget cannot fully cover.
Mayor Ouano submitted formal funding requests of P50 to P100 million to each senator, with hopes that these will be considered during budget hearings or included in the final General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2026.
Ouano said the proposed Mandaue City Hospital, which accounts for nearly P1 billion of the total cost, is a top priority due to the growing demand for accessible public healthcare.
This will be Mandaue’s first full-fledged public hospital run by the City Government.
“If we rely on the City’s budget alone, it can be done, but it will take a long time to finish.
That’s why we need help from the National Government,” Ouano said.
Construction is expected to begin next year, with the goal of making parts of the hospital operational in phases, “floor by floor,” as the building progresses.
Mandaue City College
The second project is a new building for Mandaue City College, which the City says is critical to supporting its growing student population and improving access to higher education.
The new campus building will allow the college to offer more programs and accommodate more enrollees. Construction is also expected to start in 2026.
According to Malig-on, the senators were approached due to their connections and longstanding ties with the Ouano family.
“The reception was okay. But we really can’t expect how much they will give. It will depend on how much they can provide,” Malig-on said, adding that while some senators smiled and expressed openness, “we won’t really know until it’s actually reflected in the GAA.”
Aside from seeking Senate backing, the plans will also rely on counterpart funding from Ouano-Dizon through her congressional allocations to jumpstart the projects.
The local government will also commit a portion of its annual development fund. / CAV