CEBU, Philippines - Around P1.5 billion is needed to build a new hospital to replace the 52-year old Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), which was critically damaged by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake Tuesday last week.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, though, said the people need not worry where to get funding for the 1,000-room hospital, which is bigger than the 800-room CCMC.
He said he expects help from the private sector and other entities. He cited as example SM Prime Holdings, Inc. president Hans Sy, who recently donated P5 million to the City Government.
“Kanang pag-build di gyod na lisod basta di sudlan sa bakukang nga ulo sa mga politiko. (Building that hospital is not hard if politicians’ minds don’t go twisted),†he said, obviously referring to other city officials who may block his efforts.
After a joint assessment by the Cebu City Department of Engineering and Public Works, City Office of the Building Official, Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers Cebu, and the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, CCMC was assessed as unfit for occupancy, prompting Rama to order its demolition.
Rama also revealed that his office received a communication from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Consul Yoshiaki Hata, and other concerned Japanese asking what help they could extend to Cebu City.
He said he told them to aid him in rebuilding CCMC.
He also requested former city councilor Jocelyn Pesquera to negotiate with Takashi Tanaka of Japanese Toyoflex Cebu Foundation, which donated P50 million two months ago for the construction of the city’s public library, for the City to possibly use the amount for CCMC.
“Maybe Tanaka will change his mind (and have it used to build CCMC),†Rama said, adding that he hoped the sister cities of Cebu will also help him.
In line with plan to build a new hospital building, the City Government is launching today a “Piso mo, hospital ko†fund drive.
Meanwhile, Rama reiterated that he want to convert the whole Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) building across CCMC converted to a temporary hospital despite refusal by BFP officials.
BFP’s regional office is currently occupying one fourth of the building while the rest now houses CCMC patients. —(FREEMAN)