Council seeks clarification: Cebu City Medical Center elevators funded twice?

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) is being asked to clarify the inclusion of two elevators for the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) in the contract they submitted to the council, despite the elevators already being purchased through the “Piso Mo, Hospital Ko” program of former Mayor Michael Rama.

This concern was raised by Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera following DEPW’s response to the council’s resolution, which requested a clear and detailed breakdown of the scope and cost per contract for the construction of CCMC.

During the session, Pesquera emphasized that she filed the motion after discovering that two construction contracts from M.E. Sicat and C.E. Padilla still included the purchase of elevators.

“However we sourced it out from the budget of Piso mo, hospital ko program of Mayor Michael Rama and in the contract with under the M.E. Sicat as well as in the contract of C.E. Padilla there’s an inclusion of elevators here,” said Pesquera.

The council has given DEPW 15 days, or until May 13, 2025, to submit the requested documents.

Meanwhile, in its report submitted to the council, the DEPW recorded a total construction cost of P1.13 billion for the CCMC since the project began.

According to their records, Phase 1 of the CCMC reconstruction was awarded to C.E. Padilla Construction Inc. at a cost of approximately P99.97 million. Phase 2 was also awarded to C.E. Padilla Construction Inc., amounting to P300 million.

Phase 3, which includes the completion of the first, lower, and upper ground floors, was awarded to Charlz Construction for P36.2 million.

Additionally, the construction of the CCMC fit-out lobby was awarded to McDhennizce Builders, costing P4.9 million, while Phase 4 was awarded to M.E. Sicat Construction and AVECS Corporation for approximately P916 million.

In its letter to the council, the DEPW explained that the “Clear and Detailed Coverage” the council requested corresponds to the “Detailed Estimate of Proposed Work,” which outlines all costs involved in a project.

This format is commonly used in construction, procurement, and other government projects under Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

“It helps ensure transparency, accountability, and cost-effectiveness,” their letter reads.

They added that a detailed estimate includes key components such as direct costs (materials, labor, and equipment), indirect costs (overhead, contingency, profit margin), general requirements and mobilization, and taxes and permits.

The DEPW also argued that, to ensure alignment with RA 9184, they will only prepare the “necessary works and documentation” required under the law. These include detailed engineering design, activities, and analysis essential for the procurement of infrastructure projects. They further stated that any requests beyond this scope are considered “irrelevant.”

It was reported that following the announcement that the winning bidder for the CCMC project would soon be revealed, the Cebu City Council requested a comprehensive report from the DEPW on the project’s status, progress, and challenges.

This request came from a resolution filed by Councilor Nestor Archival Sr., who initiated the action due to the prolonged delays in completing the CCMC, a project originally intended to improve the city’s healthcare services.

It may be recalled that Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced in an interview that he would soon name the winning bidder for Phase 5 of the CCMC, which is valued at P700 million.

However, in his resolution, Archival pointed out that despite this pronouncement, the council observed that no as-built plans for Phases 1 to 3 had been submitted by DEPW to the City Council for documentation, review, and transparency.

Archival further emphasized that the timely submission of a comprehensive report from the DEPW—detailing the status, progress, and challenges of the Phase 5 package—is crucial to ensuring accountability, transparency, and the proper use of public funds in the project’s implementation.

Previously, some members of the Cebu City Council questioned what appeared to be a rushed bidding process, despite ongoing executive sessions aimed at addressing concerns and issues related to the CCMC project.

For his part, Garcia maintained that the decision was not rushed, emphasizing that the CCMC project has already been delayed for ten years.

It is also noted that the Cebu City Council is currently investigating the issues and delays surrounding the CCMC project, which stemmed from a privilege speech delivered by Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos. As a result, a series of executive sessions have been held to review the project’s processes.— (FREEMAN)