P13 million budget for CCMC electricity bill asked

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) is requesting P13 million for electricity consumption in 2019, which is P5 million higher compared to this year’s approved budget.

Last Monday, Kenneth Siasar, CCMC administrator, told the committee on budget and finance that the increase of electricity budget is in preparation for the launching of the first three floors of the new building in March 2019.

“Yes, we projected to open the first three floors by March next year. That is why there is an increase of the electricity budget,” he said.

For this year, CCMC has an approved budget for electricity of P8 million which is the same amount in 2017. He said in previous years, they fully utilized the P8 million-budget.

The budget of electricity for next year’s operation is among the biggest item included in the proposed annual budget for CCMC.

The first phase of the new building is now 91 percent complete. The new 10-story CCMC building is on Natalio Bacalso Ave. corner Panganiban St.

Since October 2013, when the old building was hit by an earthquake, CCMC is temporarily occupying the Bureau of Fire Protection-7 (BFP) compound.

Siasar said the hospital construction is on schedule. That is why they are projecting that the first three floors will be operational in March next year.

He said before they can utilize the three floors, they have to get an accreditation from the Department of Health (DOH).

“If we are going to use the accreditation of the old building, that cannot be done. So while we are moving to the new building, we are going to prepare its accreditation,”Siasar said.

The first floor is where the parking, septage treatment plant, laundry area and maintenance are located. Second floor houses the emergency room and departments including pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, isolation room, and organ imaging.

The third floor includes the out-patient department, dialysis department, hematology and oncology department.

Siasar said the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) is already done with the program of works and estimates (POWE) for the phase two of the project.

With this, they are now preparing for the other documents needed so that the contractor can proceed with the construction since it is a negotiated procurement.

For 2019, CCMC is asking P368 million annual budget which is P50 million higher compared to this year’s appropriation which covers maintenance, laboratory supplies, among others.

CCMC was the last item tackled by the committee on budget and finance last Monday.

Next week, the committee is expected to render a report to the city council for the proposed P8.1 billion budget for 2019. — MBG (FREEMAN)