Drilon, Almendras aid sought for CCMC project

The Cebu City government hopes to secure assistance from top national government officials to fund the P1 billion Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) project.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he wrote Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras for  help.

He also said the city will make Senate President Franklin Drilon as “its adopted Cebuano senator” for this purpose.

“This is in coordination with civil society organizations and with my concurrence as mayor. Senator Drilon will be our bridge and will help us to receive funding for environmental projects,” the mayor said, such as  coastal management, drainage, river cleanup  and relocation.

Drilon has been helping Iloilo City with similar environmental projects, Rama added.

Communication

The mayor said Drilon’s help is important since “you need to be hands-on in connecting for funds.”

In a letter to Almendras, Rama said he asked the Cebuano Cabinet secretary to give prime attention to the hospital project for the sake of the people of Cebu.

“We need the support of the national government and I believe that you already received the same communication attached herewith asking for a financial assistance. A year has passed already and there has been no progress regarding this request,” read a portion of Rama’s letter to the Office of the President.

Rama said the letter was sent to the President in October 20 last year, a week after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol and left the old CCMC unfit for occupancy.

In the  letter, Rama mentioned that through various campaigns like the “Piso Mo, Hospital Ko” and the support of Cebuanos from around the world, the city gathered a good amount of donations already.

Positive response

But this is not enough as  the city needs P1 billion to build a new 800-bed capacity CCMC.

Last Thursday, Rama said the city government recovered plastic bottles placed in public areas for CCMC donations.

“Your help might be the missing part for us to be able to complete the whole. Cebu is looking forward for your prompt and positive response,” Rama told Almendras.

The same letter was  sent to Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Jun Delantar, Asst. Secretary of the Office of the President.  Rama said he had a phone conversation with Delantar and he promised the mayor that his letter will reach President Benigno Aquino III.

Rama said Ona earlier said they are willing to help the city government with the new hospital project in providing some medical equipment.