CCMC's 3 floors to open soon

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government soft-opened the first three floors of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) yesterday.

“As we promised about CCMC, we delivered. Three floors will soon be functional providing space for us to move non-COVID patients,” said Acting Mayor Michael Rama.

Rama said this will free the old CCMC at the old CITOM building for COVID cases to help decongest private hospitals and reduce the agony of patients waiting for medical care.

CCMC administrator Yvonne Cania clarified that non-COVID patients will not be transferred yet to the new CCMC building.

“This is just soft opening. Ang gusto ni Acting Mayor Mike Rama na ipakita lang gyud sa katawhan nga nagsige ta og trabaho diri sa sulod sa hospital,” said Cania.

Cania said they wanted to show the progress on the first three floors of the new building, which could accommodate 200 non-COVID patients.

“Pero, sa pagkakaron dili pa gyud nato pwede ibalhin ang atong mga non-COVID. Nakita man ninyo sa sitwasyon, so hinay-hinay lang mi og transfer like among giplanohan og transfer ang atong laboratory, atong gamit sa OR (operating room) nato. Hinay-hinay lang kay di man sad pwede nga idiretso lang og abli,” she explained.

Cania said there are still areas that need to be focused on such as the organ imaging area for the X-ray and CT scan.

She said they were given a deadline by Rama until September 18, 2021 for the grand opening of the first three floors.

By this time, she added they are hoping to already gradually transfer their non-COVID patients.

Cania said once they achieve this, the old building will already serve as a New Home of COVID patients at CCMC.

CCMC medical director Dr. Anton Oliver Reposar II said this new COVID facility will be another hospital extension which will also be managed by CCMC.

“We have doctors and nurses nga for COVID patients, and we also have doctors and nurses para diri sa new CCMC,” said Reposar.

Rama said there will be a continuous monitoring and discussion regarding the ongoing works at the new CCMC.

“Daghan pa kaayo'ng buhatonon, daghan pa kaayo'ng atimanon nga inig abot na sa mga pasyente, at least human na gyud, kung mahimo,” he said.

To recall, the opening of the first three floors of the new CCMC on August 9, which was earlier ordered by Rama, did not push through.

Cania earlier said it cannot be done because the interior works are still ongoing.

The city first announced the opening of the first three floors in March 2019, but it was moved to April then May. The opening was scheduled anew in December 2020, but still did not push through.

The city government started constructing the new CCMC in 2015 during the administration of Rama when he was still mayor.

In 2014, Rama ordered the demolition of the old CCMC building after it was declared unsafe following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu and Bohol in October 2013.

Rama was defeated in the 2016 mayoralty race by Tomas Osmeña, who had also failed to complete the building before he lost to Labella in the 2019 elections. — JMD (FREEMAN)