Free from traces of quake, City to be normalized by year’s end

CEBU, Philippines - Aiming for a normal Cebu free from traces of earthquake damage by December, action teams were created to focus on specific aspects of the rehabilitation efforts.

“I believe the problems caused by the strong earthquake in Cebu City will be best solved through a decentralized, spiderweb approach. It is a philosophy of making them not depend on the mayor in terms of decision making. There will be an action team specifically tasked to handle a concern,” Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said.

These teams will be led by a councilor, department head, consultants and volunteer private partners, among others.

Handling rehabilitation of damaged school buildings is Engr. Ricky Dakay together with city engineer Kenneth Enriquez.

Rama tasked Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, together with the city legal office to handle those who will refuse to vacate a building found unfit for occupancy to avoid further threat considering the city continues to experience aftershocks.

Assisting the City Fire Department, whose office has temporarily been transferred to Parian Fire Substation, is former councilor and mayor’s office staff Edu Rama while Sinulog Foundation executive director Ricky Ballesteros is assigned to the Bureau of Fire Department regional office.

A meeting Friday afternoon between the mayor and BFP-7 legal officer Karlo Cruz resulted to a temporary agreement that the regional fire department office will continue to occupy a portion of the second floor of the building while the rest will continue to be maximized for the temporary location of patients after the Cebu City Medical Center was seriously damaged by the quake.

Prior to the recent earthquake that struck Cebu and Bohol, the BFP and the city have been feuding over the ownership. The city owns the lot while the BFP owns the building.

In a memorandum dated last Thursday, BFP OIC Chief Supt. Carlito Romero ordered their Central Visayas offices not to leave their respective offices despite the announcement of the mayor that the BFP compound and building will be used to temporarily house CCMC patients.

Cruz earlier said they have to follow orders from their national office but reiterated that they will be willing to vacate the building should the city government secure permission from either DILG secretary Mar Roxas or Romero.

With the earthquake worsening the already overcapacity CCMC, Rama planned to decongest the city hospital by strictly implementing the policy of having outpatient concerns be handled at the level of barangay health centers.

“CCMC will no longer cater to outpatients. We have our barangay health centers to cater to that. This is something that we are eyeing to be a permanent policy,” Rama said.

On Monday, city information officer Carlo Dugaduga will accompany city health department officer Dr. Stella Ygona and Human Resource Department chief Dominic Dino in a campaign to disseminate information around the city.

Rama added that the five mother health centers particularly in barangays Mabolo, Punta Princesa, Talamban, Carreta, and Bulacao will continue to operate 24 hours a day to address immediate medical needs of Cebuanos.

Mother health centers were also established to decongest CCMC and other major hospitals so that those who need serious medical attention will be prioritized.

The city government has also partnered with 22 private birthing homes scattered around the city and clustered into five according to area.

Central health area includes Margarita Birthing Home in Kamputhaw, and three others from Lahug namely Daisy Matildo Birthing Home, Agnes Guillermo Birthing Home and Racquel Murillo Birthing Home.

Seven birthing homes are identified partners at the east health area including Genesis in T. Padilla, Camalig Perpetual and Little Bethlehem both in Lorega, Sto. Niño birthing homes in both Pahina Central and Sambag 1, Ate Luds in Panganiban Street, and MC Paanakan & FP Services in Tinago.

The west health area has four birthing homes namely Well Family Midwife Clinic in Guadalupe, Cabarrubias Birthing Home and Camalig Perpetual Birthing Home both in Labangon, and Venosa Birthing Home in Banawa.

Six birthing homes were listed under south health area including Well Family Midwife Clinic in C. Padilla and Cogon Pardo, Ate Luds Birthing Home in Inayawan, Star Birthing Home in Basak Pardo, Ging-ging Birthing Home in Kinasang-an, Glory Reborn Maternity Clinic in Basak-San Nicolas.

Six container vans from 2GO were also delivered last night to the temporary CCMC location inside BFP-7 compound. Councilor Dave Tumulak said these will be utilized to store hospital equipment as well as be converted into hospital wards. —(FREEMAN)