Rama miffed over absence of govt funding for hospital, market projects
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama accompanies Vice President Jejomar Binay during an inspection of CCMC days after 7.2 earthquake shakes Cebu and Bohol. (CDN FILE PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama voiced his frustration over the national government’s refusal to allocate funds for the reconstruction of the Cebu City Medical Center and Carbon Market Unit II.
Rama, who attended the 2015 budget dialogue that was participated in by various government agencies, lawmakers and officials of urbanized cities, said he and the mayors were not consulted on their needs.
The CCMC’s demolition was scheduled next Monday, coinciding with the 77th City Charter Day observance.
Rama said the dialogue was more of a collective report submitted by each agency on their accomplishments in the past year.
He said President Benigno Aquino III advised him earlier to secure a loan for the Carbon market project.
Rama said what was mentioned in the dialogue are the funding for infrastructure projects lobbied by Reps. Raul del Mar and Rodrigo Abellanosa of Cebu City’s north and south districts respectively. “That’s better than nothing,” he said.
Rama said he had been asking for a P1 billion aid from the national government for the CCMC reconstruction project after the hospital was damaged by the Oct. 15 earthquake.
Rama said he was told during the dialogue that there was no budget for the CCMC reconstruction in the 2014 appropriation because the project have not even been finalized yet.
“But the Commission on Audit (COA) already issued a report endorsing the demolition,” Rama told reporters.
The mayor said he is hopeful that the hospital and market reconstruction projects would be included in next year’s budget.
CCMC adhoc committee chairperson and Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos said the demolition of the 45-year-old hospital will be done in two to three months time.
Last Jan. 21, the Office of the Building Official (OBO) issued a demolition permit to the General Services Office for CCMC.
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