Osmeña suspends CCMC construction

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña ordered the indefinite suspension of the construction of the new Cebu City Medical Center, citing alleged “deadlock” with the contractor of the first phase of the P1.5-billion project and directed the hospital administration and the Department of Engineering and Public Works to study an option how to make one floor operational.

Osmeña announced his decision after a 30-minute meeting with the hospital and DEPW officials yesterday.

“Suspended because there’s a deadlock right now,” the mayor told reporters.

The mayor admitted that there are certain points where the city and the contractor, C.E. Padilla Construction Inc., have agreements and disagreements causing the impasse.

“Just to give you one, the contractor is trying to bill for excavation. Nahuman na ang excavation, what are we paying you for? They still want to bill for excavation. Engineer is asking we’re already above the ground and you’re billing for excavation. That’s one point,” he said.

While the city and the contractor are still trying to resolve the problem, Osmeña asked the officials of DEPW and CCMC to submit a proposal on how the city government will come in and make one floor of the hospital building operational.

“We’re trying to develop another option of opening up at the end of this year just to get something operational even if some of the items will be temporary. That’s an operational problem. I want something operational,” he said, adding that from there they would know how to go about with the succeeding floors.

Osmeña clarified that the contractor will no longer be part of the plan. Asked if he will terminate the contract already, Osmeña said he cannot answer it yet because the city is still studying it.

Under this study, the mayor said the city’s engineering people will take over the work from the contractor to ensure that one floor of the hospital building will be operational before the end of the year.

“We’re studying that option because some people might not agree. Right now, there’s a deadlock. So I’m developing a direction,” he said.

Assistant City Engineer Josefa Ylanan said the mayor is also telling the engineering to at least finish the second floor for out-patient department.

“Taod-taod naman nato gisugdan, wala tay more or less nahuman,” she said.

To recall, the old CCMC building was demolished in 2014 by former mayor Michael Rama after it was declared unsafe because of the damage from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Central Visayas in 2013.

The first phase of the project amounting to P514.97 million was awarded to C.E. Padilla Construction Inc. in July 2015. Ylanan said there is remaining budget from the Phase 1 that can be used to complete the second floor.

For three days, she said they will plan on how they will do the makeshift out-patient department at the second floor since the lower ground is for the ramp and entrance of the hospital and the upper ground will be for emergency room.

“Sa original contract is up to 10 floors. Wala pa nakaabot sa seventh floor ang pouring, naa pata sa sixth (floor) pero wala pa mahuman og butang ang slabs,” she said.

She assured that they will prioritize the safety of the occupants of the hospital building if one floor will be operational while the construction of the whole edifice would continue. — FPL (FREEMAN)