CCMC’s occupancy permit still under process

The new Cebu City Medical Center will open its Outpatient Department starting December 29. | Morexette Marie B. Erram

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Medical Center has been partially inaugurated on December 28, 2020, marking the first time for the hospital in construction for five years to be available to the public.

Yet one more permit stands in the way of its operations as the Office of the Building Official (OBO) has yet to issue an occupancy permit for the operating areas of the new building.

City Administrator Lawyer Floro Casas Jr., said the occupancy permit is needed only for the area that will be operating, which is the first floor.

In a phone interview with reporters, Casas said that the responsibility for acquiring these permits is on the contractor. The contractor must apply for the occupancy permit.

Still, due to the need for the hospital to function amid the pandemic, the city government has fast-tracked the processes including the occupancy permit.

The OBO is currently inspecting the building and is expected to finish the inspection within the day. It is not yet clear if the OBO can release the permit in time for the promised operation today, December 29, 2020.

Casas said the outpatient department will be open at least by December 30, 2020, since the transfer of equipment is also ongoing as well.

“Gihinay-hinay lang nato og transfer aron magamit na gyod atong hospital. Kay if atong kausahon, dugay pa kaayo magamit ang CCMC,” said Casas.

(We are transferring the departments so we can use the hospital. If we have to transfer it all, we might not be able to use the CCMC yet.)

Casas assured that this slight hitch on the occupancy will be resolved soon as the first floor of the building has already been prepared for occupancy.

While the first floor is operational, the rest of the seven floors will continue to be constructed. This is the reason why only the first floor will be opened as of now, to ensure the safety of the two higher floors while construction is ongoing.

Once the safety of the second and third floors are secured, then other departments and more rooms can open. As for the radio-imagery department and emergency room, these will be opened sooner than the others.

“We may open the two departments in two weeks,” said Casas.

The city administrator assured the public that the CCMC will be functional slowly by slowly in the coming year, and soon it can accommodate more patients. /rcg