Osmeña wants CCMC functional very soon

CEBU, Philippines - Instead of just having structural framework for the first phase of the 10-story Cebu City Medical Center, Mayor Tomas Osmeña now wants to have functional floors.

This was disclosed by Engineer Josefa Ylanan, head of the city’s Office of the Building Official.

“The mayor wants a functional structure within a year. So, the design is good for the 10 floors. Unya frame paman na ang 10 floors. Ongoing pa ang atong sabot-sabot on how to go about it that the building would be functional. There should be floors that would be completed,” she said.

Ylanan said the mayor has yet to be apprised on the nitty-gritty of the possible areas that can be done.

Initially, she said there was a suggestion that the contractor would finish the first five floors of the building that will be used by the city government as a functional hospital.

“The details of such kay sige pa og istorya nato. It’s not man easy kay the bidding is good for the 10 floors. But ingon ni mayor, even ang engineers and consultant nga it won’t look good nga we spent hundreds of millions and the building is unused,” she said.

Ylanan said the same contractor, C.E. Padilla Construction, will handle the project.

Originally, the first phase of the construction of the hospital amounting to P514 million only covers the structural foundation of the building.

“Murag within the year nga nagsabot-sabot, dapat naa nay building nga maklaro nga magamit. Not necessary nga by the end of the year. Gusto ni mayor nga duna na ta’y makita nga hospital na,” Ylanan said.

The city government ordered the demolition of the old CCMC building after the October 15, 2013 earthquake. The city planned to have a 10-story 490-bed capacity hospital.

Ylanan said Osmeña and the city officials are negotiating with a consultant whose name was not mentioned.

When asked how they would go through the approved first phase of the project, Ylanan said there is a procurement process that would make the amendment legal. She, however, refused to elaborate.

“There are procurement process nga will make it legal that is why nalangan gyud ta kay we cannot do a shortcut. We do not want to commit mistakes before pareha nila,” she said.

As of now, the construction of the hospital has been stalled because of lack of building permit. Ylanan said the building permit will be used once the negotiations will be concluded.

Ylanan said the contractor has already finished four floors. She said there was a suggestion to finish the first five floors and complete it to be functional.

“Kun tan-awn ang building design, ang sixth floor na ang wards. So the first five naa dinha ang parking, naa dinha ang amenities, emergency rooms and everything. Everything will have to be temporary,” she said.

She said the negotiation and changes will no longer be forwarded to the City Council since the contractor was already issued with notice to proceed.

“What is being done that to let the people know that the hospital will be there but with careful implementations,” she said. —/FPL (FREEMAN)