Prior to giving CCMC to Capitol Gov tells Tom to talk with city council first

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia would rather that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña consult his council first on his proposal to turn over to the Capitol the operation and management of the Cebu City Medical Center.

In view of her "ugly experience" with the city council on the aborted proposed lot-swap deal, the governor is now wary in immediately taking the offer.

Comparing herself to a cat, the governor said that having been "once burned" in the previous proposal, she is now "twice shy" to take in the offer easily.

"He has to also talk with the council. Mas maayo siguro sila sa mag-istorya because sa ako na'ng giingon kini bang iring ba, masunog kausa, sakit na masunog og kaduha. Wa na man balhibo, panit na gyud masunog," she commented.

The adage "once burned, twice shy" suggests that when someone has had a bad experience, that person tends to shy away from being in the same situation again, having better learned to deal with it.

Further, the governor said that although she was "flattered" by Osmeña's statement regarding her ability to run district hospitals as economic enterprises, she has to proceed slowly by taking care first of the health department's proposal for the province to take over in the primary and secondary services of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Also, Capitol is still on the process of continuously upgrading the services offered by its 18 district hospitals.

Meanwhile, CCMC director Myrna Go has asked Osmeña to reevaluate the status of CCMC before making any decision, something that the mayor merely shrugged off during yesterday's press conference.

"I'm tired of evaluating it, the burden of proof is on them...it might be good if they can bring my driver back to life," Osmeña said.

Osmeña had bitter feelings towards the hospital after his driver, who figured in a vehicular accident during Christmas Eve 2004, died due to alleged negligence on the part of CCMC.

Osmeña, however, admitted that management of CCMC is better after Go's assumption as director last year but insisted the hospital would be better off under the provincial government.

"It's better for them to be under an LGU that's more competent to run the facility than the city government," Osmeña said.

Osmeña is offering the city-run hospital to the provincial government as part of the land swap deal with the province. The mayor arrived at the decision after occupants of province-owned lots in barangays Luz and Apas sought the help of the city government after the Capitol sent them eviction notices. - Cristina C. Birondo and Joeberth M. Ocao