City’s elem, high schools help raise funds for new CCMC

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government has tapped some public schools in its "Piso Mo Hospital Ko" fund drive for the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center.

The 45-year-old CCMC sustained major damage after the magnitude 7.2 earthquake last October 15, 2013.

Carlo Dugaduga, the city's public information officer, said the fundraising activity in at least 18 elementary and public schools in the city started late last month. The city's schools division superintendent, Rhea Mar Angtud, supports the campaign, he said.

"Gipalapdan ang campaign sa 'Piso Mo, Hospital Ko' ug this time, gi-engage ang DepEd. Dakog uyon ug suporta si Angtud sa pagpaapil sa elementary and high school sa tibuok division sa Cebu city," he said.

The high schools conducting the drive include Gothong National School, Pardo HS, Tisa Integrated HS, Mambaling National High School and Pasil NHS.

Meanwhile, the elementary schools include the Basak Community Elementary School, Bulacao Community ES, Gothong ES, Inayawan ES, Labangon ES, Mambaling ES, Pardo ES, Pardo Extension ES, Pasil ES, Punta Princesa ES, Regino Mercado ES, and Tisa 1and 2 ES.

"Ang mga kabataan dasig kaayo. Ni-visit ta sa Labangon ug atong nakita nga malipayon nihatag sa ilang piso, nakasabot man pud sila kay gipasabot man sila sa ilang mga school administrators unsay purpose sa maong drive," Dugaduga said.

"I hope ang atong mga parents will also be open-minded sa campaign nato diha sa mga schools.

"Allowing this to happen to our school children would make really realize and appreciate the importance of health pinaagi sa atong subling pagpabarog sa atong CCMC," Dugaduga added.

All the "piso" bottles will be brought to the City Treasurer's Office for counting and documentation. Currently, the collection has reached to over P11 million.

Meanwhile, former city mayor Alvin Garcia donated P25,000 for the hospital's reconstruction.

Garcia personally turned the money over to Mayor Michael Rama yesterday. Present during the turnover were former commissioner of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Amorito Cañete who also donated P25,000 for CCMC.

Garcia and Cañete said their donation came from their own pockets.

 "Medyo sakit-sakit na 'gyud sa bulsa ang maong kantidad, but I believe in this project, which is very laudable. We feel that the best way to help the city is not giving alms to beggars; it's building the hospital so that the people of Cebu City, especially the less privileged, can benefit from this," Garcia said.

Garcia, who served as mayor of  the city from 1995 to 2001, said he wants to help Rama because the city is undertaking the project alone without any help from the national government. He said he will also ask for more donations from his friends.

"So that we can really unite Cebu to make that hospital. We hope that eventually, the national government will give us P500 million, whatsoever, but even without that we should really work ourselves for that, like the example of Mayor Rama," Garcia said.

Cañete, for his part, said he wants the new public hospital, which will cater to senior citizens like him, built.

"Realizing na tiguwang na gud ka, we need a hospital nga di kaayo dako og bayad, nga ma-discounted ang seniors," Cañete said.

The former NLRC commissioner shared that he belongs to a group of old 'balikbayans' from the United States and, just like Garcia, he will encourage his friends to donate.

Rama is thankful for the donations.

"Generosity and charity should not be demanded. If they have the heart, they can contribute," the mayor said.

The city government started the demolition of the old CCMC building since February 24, during the celebration of the city's 77th Charter Day anniversary.  (FREEMAN)