Disasters put CCMC's grant from JICA in peril

CEBU, Philippines - The devastation that the recent earthquake and tsunami have caused to Japan has also put Cebu City Medical Center’s expansion project in peril because of the possibility that its application for a $10-million grant from the Japan for International Cooperation Agency will no longer be approved.

CCMC acting hospital chief Eduardo Sedoripa yesterday admitted that their chances of getting their grant application approved by JICA is dim due to the cataclysmic incidents that hit the northern part of Japan last week.

 “It’s like a diamond taken away from us. Of course we are worried na basin less na ang chance na ma-grant ang atong application, but we have never received any feedback from them yet, so nothing is certain for now,” Sedoripa said.

The CCMC applied for a $10-million grant from JICA for the construction of a new CCMC building which they plan to make as annex to the 48-year old hospital facility.

The grant must be used to build a new structure because mere renovation of the current hospital building is not allowed under the conditions set by JICA.

At the moment, CCMC is preparing all the pertinent documents asked by the agency which include the current status or condition of CCMC and the needs of the hospital.

Part of the grant, Sedoripa said, would be utilized to purchase brand new medical equipment.

“We will still pursue our application until we can hear feedbacks from them,” Sedoripa said.

But, according to him, they would understand if JICA would freeze the releasing of grants considering the magnitude of the damage that Japan is suffering right now because of the twin catastrophes that hit the country last Friday

Sedoripa said that they share Japan’s grief for the lives that were lost and the properties that were damaged while they also regret that all of these have to happen. (FREEMAN NEWS)