To utilize remaining fund: Review CCMC contract - Garcia

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia has ordered the review of the terminated contract for the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) in order to utilize the remaining funds under such contract.

This was disclosed by City Councilor Jerry Guardo through the City’s Sugbuanon channel. Guardo, the City Council’s chairman on Technical Infrastructure Committee was also recently named overseer on housing and public works by the acting mayor.

Guardo said he doesn’t know why the contract was terminated but they are now creating a legal team to review the contract, which was initially signed during the time of the late mayor Edgardo Labella.

In November 2022, Mayor Michael Rama announced the termination of the contract due to slow progress in construction. Rama said the completion of CCMC is long overdue.

M.E. Sicat Construction, the contractor for CCMC’s 4th phase, mutually agreed to terminate the contract with the city government, said City Administrator lawyer Collin Rosell in a previous interview.

The 4th phase supposedly covers the construction of the “shell” of the remaining floors of the 10-storey hospital, which at that time had three floors due for construction.

“Si Raymond, he wanted to have a review because the previous administration had a contract with a certain contractor but it was terminated. I don’t know for whatever reasons but we are creating a legal team for review," said Guardo.

Guardo explained that the intention of the review is to check how much funds are left out of the terminated contract.

“As much as possible, hopefully (with) the remaining funds, we can still use it. There were portions nga na utilize siya but there’s still a substantial amount nga wala ma trabaho sa contractor,” Guardo added.

Guardo further said they are looking at re-bidding the construction of the current phase, which Mayor Rama was not keen on. Rama instead was opting for a public-private partnership (PPP).

“We can have it re-bid so we can complete a certain level… the P1 billion (contract) covers third to fifth floors. P100 million plus lang ang nagamit…P700 plus wa magamit. We can then accommodate more patients,” Guardo added.

Guardo also said that they are hopeful that Operation Smile will be functional soon.

Operation Smile will occupy one floor of the CCMC under a PPP scheme with the City government.

After the termination of the phase 4 contract, Mayor Rama got several pledges from business tycoons in the country for the completion of the whole 10-floors.

Aside from the main building, Rama had also envisioned to build a medical arts across of CCMC, which aim was to have a broad spectrum of medical specialties and services making it a “poor man’s hospital with a rich man’s services”.(CEBU NEWS)