Mayor Rama just wanted biz mogul to sponsor one floor of new hospital project

Business mogul Manuel V. Pangilinan has revived his interest to invest in the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), but this time as a “co-manager” of the city-run hospital.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said Pangilinan made the “co-management” offer when they met over the weekend in Manila. The mayor however, said he wanted this studied first by the CCMC Cares group of Dr. Shawn Espina.

Pangilinan had earlier expressed interest to acquire the CCMC during the time of former mayor Tomas Osmeña after Osmena announced plans to close the hospital or privatize it.

Rama went to see Pangilinan to solicit his help in the city’s efforts to raise P1.5 billion for the planned reconstruction of the hospital which was heavily damaged by last year’s earthquake.
Rama and Pangilinan are both alumni of San Beda College where the tycoon sits as chairman of the board.

The mayor gave an audio-visual presentation about the new CCMC during their meeting where Pangilinan expressed his interest in “co-managing” the hospital.

Pangilinan, whose business interests include telecommunications, mining, utilities and public infrastructure, has been expanding his portfolio by investing in hospitals.

Through the Metro Pacific Investment Group, Pangilinan has acquired stakes in the Makati Medical Center, Davao Doctors Hospital, Cardinal Santos Memorial Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Manila, Asian Hospital and Medical Center and Delos Santos Medical Center in Quezon City.

Rama said he told Pangilinan that he would have wanted the businessman to sponsor the construction of one floor of the new CCMC.

The mayor said he didn’t make any commitment in Pangilinan’s proposal. While he is against selling the CCMC, Rama said he was open to discuss any proposal that would lead to the hospital’s modernization and improvement of its services.

“We are still going to address the needs of the poor but if we could combine, with the needs of the rich being handled (at CCMC) then the rich can subsidize the poor,” he said.