Council wants oversight on laggard CCMC project

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has again raised concerns about the delays in the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) construction, as the legislative body sought a thorough audit and a comprehensive review of the project.

In line with this, the Council approved a motion calling upon various engineering, architecture, and technical experts to lead the review.

In the latest regular session, Councilor Nyza Archival delivered a privilege speech, highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability in what she described as a critical and long-overdue infrastructure project of the city.

The councilor said construction of the CCMC was first initiated ten years ago, envisioned as a premier hospital facility for Cebu City and its surrounding regions. It was built to symbolize hope and a promise of accessible healthcare for all, she said.

“Unfortunately, despite numerous allocation fundings and private donations and some from notable sectors and stakeholders, the project remained unfinished, marred in controversy, public dysfunction, and allegations of irregularities,” said the dismayed councilor.

Archival said it recently came to her office's attention that there is an absence of as-built plans, which she added are a fundamental requirement in any construction project. An as-built plan serves as the precise reference for the building’s dimensions, design, layout, and materials used, she explained.

The councilor further emphasized that the as-built plan is not merely a document but an integral requirement for any construction project and a primary tool for legal compliance.

“The lack of such crucial documents raises serious questions about the integrity of the entire project. It also hampers the city’s capacity to address the pressing needs of the public to undertake the necessary upgrades,” she said.

In line with this, Archival then moved to get the assistance of experts and professionals from leading organizations and associations in the fields of engineering, architecture, and related disciplines to conduct a thorough audit review of the existing documents related to the CCMC project.

Specifically, she called for the involvement of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines, the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the United Architects of the Philippines, among others.

The City Council subsequently approved this motion of Archival.

She said the objectives of this move are: 1) to conduct meticulous audit of all original plans, sketches, and designs; 2) scrutinize and verify architectural and engineering documents; 3) check for irregularities, discrepancies, or post-construction alterations that may have led to misappropriation of funds; and 4) to facilitate a comprehensive review for the city’s reference in making informed decisions.

“It is restoring the public’s trust and upholding our sworn duty to protect our people’s interests,” said Archival. “It is an effort to ensure that future stakeholders and the Cebuanos do not suffer the consequences of neglect, mishandling or worse corruption,” she added.

The Council also approved Archival’s motion requesting the City Treasurer’s Office to submit a report on the payment status of contractors for all phases of the CCMC’s construction.

Moreover, the Council later approved a call for an executive session, inviting all concerned sectors, including the contractors, to discuss the matter. The session has been scheduled for this coming September 16.

It can be recalled that City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. following his long-awaited review of the CCMC contract for the construction of the third to sixth floors---revealed that the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) did not find the primary construction plan for the project, prompting him to halt the project until the missing plan is located.

When he got elected and assumed office as Cebu City mayor, one of his campaign promises was to complete the laggard construction of the CCMC building.

He said that, before his administration took over the Cebu City government, the contract to complete the third to sixth floors had already been awarded to a contractor, along with the corresponding Notice to Proceed (NTP).

Currently, the contractor is requesting for a down payment, he said, but, during his review with DEPW, the city engineers raised red flags on several issues, including the missing primary construction plan.

Although the Programs of Work and Estimates (POWE) are already in place, the detailed plans upon which construction should be based are missing, said the mayor, who is an engineer himself. This prompted him to temporarily shelved any further works on the project.

It was also reported that then-mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, before he left office, named Dakay Construction as the winning bidder for the controversial CCMC project, even if the City Council investigation into the project’s delays and issues was yet unfinished.

Garcia signed the contract with Dakay, which allows for a 240-calendar-day construction period, equivalent to eight months. He clarified at the time that the agreement covers only the third to seventh floors, and that completing the remaining upper floors would require a separate contract, which he intended to leave to the incoming administration.

The project’s budget is approximately P700 million, an amount left by the previous construction before it was halted. Garcia tried to clarify that the inclusion of the seventh floor involved applying the final touches. — /RAE (FREEMAN)