Rama seeks private partners for CCMC

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama yesterday clarified that he allowed Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) Director Gloria Duterte to seek the private sectors' help to improve the city-run hospital through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).

But the mayor asked Duterte to first prepare the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that will be signed by her, on behalf of the CCMC, and those who wish to donate something for the use of the hospital.

There were reports that the CCMC officials were asking financial assistance from funeral firms to rehabilitate the hospital's morgue that is situated at the basement of the facility.

"Dili na mao nga ang hospital nangayo og donasyon. Ang husto mao nga gidasig nato ang private sectors nga motabang sila sa kagamhanan nianang gitawag og PPP," the mayor said. (It's not that we are asking for donation. But we are encouraging the private sector to be our partners.)

Duterte said there were several persons who helped her in improving the image and physical appearance of the 49-year old hospital.

The funeral firms are ready to help the CCMC by giving financial assistance for the repair of the morgue because they are also doing business in that hospital almost everyday.

The CCMC has a 250-bed capacity but is serving more because of the city's population that already reached close to 800,000.

Philipps, the popular manufacturer and distributor of electric bulbs and flourescent lamps, earlier gave the CCMC P40,000-worth of energy saver bulbs to help light up the hospital in the evenings.

Duterte said the CCMC's cash award that she received when it was named the Outstanding Department of the Year during the Charter Day celebration last February 24 was used to improve the information counter of the hospital.

Rama said yesterday that while he is still the mayor of Cebu City, he will try his best to improve the CCMC by allocating more budget so it can hire enough medical personnel and purchase the needed drugs and medicines. (FREEMAN)