Council OKs payment of CCMC patients’ bill

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council yesterday approved various projects to be funded out of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation funds including the payment of the over P2 million hospital bills of the patients of Cebu City Medical Center who were transferred to other hospitals after it was damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake last year.

Councilor David Tumulak moved that the P2,205,607.52 hospital bills from at least five private hospitals should be paid out of the PAGCOR funds. Tumulak said the city government should take the responsibility in extending assistance to the in-patients whose confinements at the CCMC were disrupted by the natural disaster.

The guidelines for the use of PAGCOR funds allow projects which involve the extension of emergency assistance to victims of natural disasters and other calamities and terrorism.

The Cebu Velez Hospital billed the city government P54,081.35 for seven patients; Perpetual Succour Hospital, P1,152,079.18 for four patients; Cebu Doctor’s University Hospital, P436,617.11 for four patients; Adventist Hospital, P142,843.69 for 10 patients; and Chong Hua Hospital, P419,986.19 for 13 patients.

Aside from the hospital bills, the other projects approved by the council yesterday was the purchase of 30 pieces of kiddie chairs, 10 plastic tables, and 40 monobloc chairs for Adlaon Multi-purpose Building and Day Care Center in the amount of P39,200.

Councilors Hanz Abella and Mary Delos Santos sponsored the resolution for the purpose based on the request of the barangay officials of Adlaon.

The proponents said that the guidelines for the use of PAGCOR funds provides that it should be utilized for projects related to the delivery of basic services, including barangay facilities.

They said that qualified projects are those that will equip barangay day care centers and multi-purpose hall.

Councilor Nestor Archival also asked to allocate P55, 000 to purchase one unit desktop computer with printer for the use of Branch 5 of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City. He said that the said trial court has requested the city government of a computer unit.

“The judiciary is one of the pillars of the criminal justice system of the country and, thus, the court plays a major part in the maintenance and improvement of peace and order,” he said.

He added that projects that have to do with the improvement of peace and order in the community are also under the guidelines governing the utilization of PAGCOR funds.

Meanwhile, the City Council has deferred about P91, 800 projects also set to be charged to PAGCOR funds pending the perusal of the committee on budget and finance. The council deferred the resolutions of Councilors Abella and Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao.

Abella requested P80, 000 to purchase oxygen tank with regulator, hospital bed, six units of ceiling fan, 20 pieces of kiddie chairs, six units of office table, two units of hot and cold dispenser, three units of steel cabinets-wrinkle type, and four drawers for the Barangay Health Center and Day Care facilities of Barangay Sinsin.

Wenceslao is requesting P11, 800 to acquire materials for the construction of a tuberculosis isolation room and a medicine cabinet for the Malubog Health Center.

City Councilor Margot Osmeña wants to review these resolutions requesting for project allocations and certificate of availability of funds by the City Treasurer’s Office.

Osmeña, chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, said that all proposed projects charged against PAGCOR funds should be referred to her committee for review, adding that she wants to make sure that the projects fall under the guidelines.— (FREEMAN)