City to bid out building the rest of CCMC

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government is set to bid out the construction of the remaining floors of the Cebu City Medical Center before the year ends as Mayor Raymond Garcia says that engaging in a Private-Public Partnership for it will further delay its completion.

He said that the bidding for it is expected to take place before the year ends.

The city government still has around ?700 million funds available for its completion.

Right after the bidding comes the awarding of the project to the winning contractor.

Garcia said during the weekly press conference at City Hall that while he is open to PPP, it’s not going to be for the completion of the CCMC.

“I am open to a possibility of a PPP. However, it is highly impractical because the whole PPP process will already take a year… Atong pahuwaton atong mga kaigsuonan nga one year after pa magsugod ang construction? Di ko mosugot sad ana, because public service cannot wait. I’ve always been very consistent with that,” Garcia said.

This was in reaction to the suggestion of Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos to have a PPP instead.

“You must remember that a PPP right now is covered under a new law and then there is a more stringent and longer process because now you have a PPP center that is based in Manila that will approve your PPP,” Garcia said.

Garcia wondered whether or not Delos Santos was aware of the new law on PPP.

“I don’t know if she is aware of the new law and I don’t know if she’s aware of the new process and the procedure,” he added.

The fastest way to get funds for CCMC, Garcia also said, is to donate directly to the Cebu City government rather than a “third party” identified as the Cebu Medical Society. This is for the sake of transparency and accountability, he said.

“The fastest and easiest way nga makakuha ta’g funds, nga i-donate directly to the City of Cebu, then we put it in a separate trust fund account and then ini’g pahimo nato sa POWE we charge it to asa na-donate ang kwarta,” said Garcia while citing the previous “Piso Ko Hospital Mo” trust fund account for it. The fund was initiated during the previous administration under former mayor Michael Rama.

Garcia said the funds under the “Piso Ko Hospital Mo” account is the one utilized for the purchase of elevators at CCMC, he said. — (FREEMAN)