To build CCMC building JICA rejects bid for $10M grant

CEBU, Philippines - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) rejected the request of the Cebu City Government for a USD10 million-grant supposedly for the construction of the annex building of the Cebu City Medical Center.

The formal communication informing Cebu City that JICA could not grant the request as of the moment was received by CCMC Chief of Hospital Eduardo Sedoripa recently.

Though saddened by the decision of the agency, he said they understand the situation in Japan after it was hit by an earthquake followed by a tsunami and later leading to the nuclear crisis.

Sedoripa said that the city government may request again after a year.

“We completely understand that they had to defer our request because Japan needs rehabilitation. Japan needs all the resources that they can get,” Sedoripa said.

Sedoripa said that they have completed all the requirements, which they may just resubmit when JICA starts accepting applications.

He said that at the moment, they will maximize their resources at CCMC to give the best service they can provide to the constituents.

The USD10-million grant was eyed to solve the lack of space at the city-run hospital.

He said that the Emergency Room and the lobby are usually crowded.

The increase in the patients coming to CCMC is also attributed to the hospitalization program implemented by the city government where indigents are entitled to up to P25,000 hospitalization assistance under the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medical Program.

Sedoripa earlier said that JICA would not agree to use the grant merely for the rehabilitation of the existing building.

Had JICA granted the request, the city government would have had a new hospital that conforms with international standards.

The USD10-million grant was also intended for the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment and other medical care supplies which the current hospital lacks.

In earlier reports, Sedoripa said that 70 percent of the equipment in CCMC are no longer in their best condition and need to be replaced.

The city government is already expecting that their request for grant could possibly be affected by the quake and tsunami that hit the north-eastern coast of Japan.

The quake which caused the tsunami has devastated farms, buildings, houses and power plants, among others, which badly affected the economy of Japan.

Japan is currently recovering from the over USD100 billion economic losses it incurred from the disasters.

Acting Mayor Joy Augustus Young said that constructing a new building or expansion of the CCMC is not a priority at the moment. He however said that renovations are underway at the hospital.

For now, CCMC will have to maximize their resources to continue to provide quality service to the city constituents. –/NLQ (FREEMAN)