Rama wants CCMC upper floors operational by Aug. 9 

Cebu City Acting Mayor Michael Rama inspects the CCMC building on Wednesday morning, August 4, 2021. | photo from Office of the Vice Mayor

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Acting Cebu City  Mayor Michael Rama has instructed the contractors of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) to complete the second and third floors of the new building by August 9, 2021. 

This Rama announced on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, or the third day the since the city was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). 

Rama warned the contractors that If they fail to complete it by the deadline he gave, the city government is willing to terminate the contract with them. 

With the city government working on providing more isolation beds and hospital extension facilities to address the COVID-19 surge of cases, the acting mayor believes the completion of the CCMC second and third floors will help expand the bed capacity of the city. 

In particular, Rama said once the equipment and non-COVID wards are transferred to the new building, the temporary CCMC building across the road can be transformed into a COVID-19 dedicated ward. 

This would add at least 100 to near 200 beds for COVID-19 patients since the temporary building is spacious enough to house as much patients. 

“My marching order is to have the new CCMC second and third floors to be operational by Monday aron matransfer na ang psyente gikan sa old CITOM, temporary building didto sa ground floor up to the third floor,” Rama said.

“Unya kana siyang CITOM building, that also needs to be prepared aron mapintalan na, paspasan na, if kailangan 24 hours. So that the building will become a New Home for COVID patients at CCMC,” said Rama. 

Rama inspected the CCMC building on Wednesday morning. Based on his observations, he believes the two floors will be ready in a week. 

City Engineer Lowell Corminal said in a separate interview that their target is really within next week.

The contractors already met with Rama prior to the pronouncement and they committed to hit the target and have the two floors ready by August 9. 

C.E. Padilla Construction Inc. and C.B. Garay Philwide Builders are handling the interiors of the hospital and they are now adding utilities and fixtures to the two floors.

“Utilities naman lang ang kulang, tubig og kuryente. Mahuman na siya next week kay mao man sad gyod ang target,” said the engineer. 

Corminal assured that the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) are monitoring the CCMC construction. 

The DEPW is also set to bid P1 billion budget for the completion of the rest of the 7 floors of the CCMC new building soon. 

/bmjo

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