CCMC construction to resume soon

CEBU, Philippines —  Despite the structural defects found on the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building, construction works can continue until all the 10 floors, as envisioned by Mayor Michael Rama, are completed.

 Rama said that the mistakes found during the investigation into the structural integrity of the building can be corrected. The CCMC construction has stopped on the seventh floor after the city government and the contractor agreed to terminate their contract.

Although the building is yet to be finished, Dr. Anton Reposar, hospital chief, said they are already occupying the first two floors of the building.

Rama said it is now time to move forward and continue the construction work to complete the city hospital.

“It is time to move forward,” Rama said.

Engr. Roberto “Bo” Varquez revealed yesterday that an independent investigative body was formed to evaluate the accomplishment and if it has satisfied the required design specifications and workmanship.

Varquez said they tapped Mega Testing Center, a lab accredited by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST)  along with independent surveyors, material and structural engineers, and DEPW, and representatives from the previous contractor themselves to witness the testing and survey.

Varquez assured the investigation was “scientific, objective, unbiased, comprehensive and participative”.

Engr. Ricky Dakay, of Dakay Construction, also helped assemble the team to help the city government. The testing and survey were done from February 13 to March 30, 2023.

At least two beams and columns failed in the material testing but could be corrected.

“No stone was left unturned…or no piece of concrete and re-bar was left unturned, everything was considered and the testing and survey encoded in a structural analysis software to determine the global stability of the structure,” Dakay said.

Dakay also disclosed that they have already laid out the plans to correct the defects.

“The only way to complete this project successfully is to do it right…to build what is right,” Dakay said.

For those works that had some defects, the contractors involved in it will be the ones to also do the correction to avoid any liability, Varquez said. Dakay said the retrofitting and the construction of the remaining floors can be done altogether.

“The retrofit of the affected structural members, the fit out and finishing of the lower floors, and the completion of the additional floors shall be done in a parallel and concurrent fashion,” Dakay said.

Dakay said it may take a year or less to complete the project, providing that the project management team is already in place.

The mayor is determined to finish it this year with the private donors, who earlier pledged to help complete the CCMC, already awaiting the city government’s go signal to proceed with the construction work.

“We will finish CCMC this year, correctly from hereon, through the process with utmost prudence, no more haste that makes waste….Thus, we will organize a strong project management team composed of competent engineers who will formulate, specify the components of, and oversee the construction that should now resume unhampered,” Rama said.

Even if the construction will proceed, Dakay assured that patients and hospital workers will be safe.

A construction and health safety plan (program) will be submitted to the Depart of Labor and Employment to ensure that everything is compliant with the new and relevant law plus some safety practitioners to prevent accidents, fire and other untoward incidents. — FPL (FREEMAN)