Rama: BFP-7 spat not on ownership

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said City Hall's issue with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-7 is not about property ownership but on addressing a calamity.

He said the city hospital badly needs a space for its patients and the fire department building right across the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) is the ideal location.

"Wa man ta (We are not) nag-claim(ing) ug ownership. I have always been consistent in pushing for temporary utilization (of the structure)," Rama said.

"Wala ko naghunahuna nga dili na sila kabalik. Sila ray nagbuhat ana (I never thought that they won't be allowed to return. They are the ones who made that up). That is not the real picture, yet they jump into conclusion," he added.

The mayor is set to sit down with other city officials next week to discuss several CCMC concerns.

Last Wednesday, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella warned the City would sue BFP-7 over its refusal to leave the building it is now sharing with hospital patients.

He said that if the BFP-7 office does not vacate despite the lapse of City Hall's demand letter on Nov. 9, an ejectment or unlawful detainer complaint would be filed against the agency.

Meanwhile, a Philippine Red Cross (PRC) hospital tent arrived and was set yesterday to provide additional space for hospital patients occupying the BFP-7.

The 45-year-old CCMC building was pronounced unsafe by structural engineers after it was affected by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake last Oct. 15.

The tent, brought in from Manila by a PRC national official and assisted by local counterparts as well as by CCMC personnel, was lent to the Cebu City Government.

It came following an ocular visit by PRC Chairman Richard Gordon Saturday after he attended a national youth congress in Lapu-Lapu City.

Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office operations head Alvin Santillana said the tent measured 10x20 meters and is now situated in a covered tennis court inside the BFP 7 compound.

"The tent will now be the general ward of the temporary hospital. It can accommodate about 20 beds. Patients will no longer worry especially when it rains," he told reporters.

With a 60-bed capacity, the temporarily-situated CCMC would soon be open again for new patients.

But City Councilor Dave Tumulak said Dr. Gloria Duterte, chief of hospital, specified that psychiatric cases as well as patients with infectious and communicable diseases would not be accepted temporarily considering the circumstances and the limited resources of the hospital.

"I was in a meeting with Dr. Duterte and I learned about these restrictions. Non-city residents will also be referred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Center," Tumulak said.

Among the matters Duterte and Tumulak discussed in their meeting is the increased fuel consumption of City-owned ambulances, particularly when CCMC temporarily refused to admit patients who needed to be transported to bigger hospitals in the city.

"I pointed out during the meeting, the concern on increased crude oil consumption of our ambulances since patients brought to CCMC whose cases require higher medical attention had to be transferred. From the normal 50 liters a month, now we have 150 liter consumption," Tumulak said.

The councilor also noted an unusual increase in the number of responded emergency cases of barangay-based and NGO Emergency Medical Services (EMS) November to January.

These EMS included Basak Pardo Emergency Response (BPER), Inayawan Rescue Unit, Ang Labangon Emergency Rescue Team, Pit-os Rescue Unit, Philippine Red Cross, and Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation. — (FREEMAN)