Last Sunday, July 12, Pinay girlband Bini performed at the newly-finished SM Seaside Arena, just beside SM Seaside City in the South Road Properties in Cebu City.
Just a day earlier on July 11, the arena had been opened after five years of construction, breaking ground in 2021.
That’s cutting it close, but so far there were no complaints from concertgoers about the venue. No issues of “new paint smell”, bare walls, or inadequate facilities. Perhaps just a quip about how long the queues were to get food and drinks.
Now people can’t help but compare the SM Seaside Arena to another structure that is still under construction even after more than 10 years; the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
The old CCMC was rendered unusable by an earthquake in October 2013. It was completely torn down the following year while construction of the new CCMC began in July 2025.
Until now it is still under construction, even as wear is now evident on the edifice. Notice that the “T” of the word “CENTER” in the building’s façade has fallen off. Notice that it now looks like an old building instead of a new one. It would seem ironic that it has survived several earthquakes already in its current state. It has also seen several administration come and go.
If you look at Panganiban Street right now the builders have erected what looks like more than a regular bunkhouse. More than regular because it actually looks like a permanent structure and has provisions for air-conditioned rooms.
So, yes, they expect to be working on the project for quite some time still.
This is starting to be an embarrassment to the city government. Some ancient buildings took less time to build, and with technology that can be considered ancient and antiquated today. For example, the Roman Colosseum only took 10 years to build, while the Parthenon in Greece only took nine years.
What is taking this project so long? What can move it along more quickly? And, more importantly, what can be done to prevent such a monumental delay in similar projects in the future?