CCMC: Councilor pushes for public-private partnership deal

CCMC file photo.

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos has urged the city government to explore a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the Cebu City Medical Center’s (CCMC) ongoing construction, as she believes it is the “best alternative” solution.

This comes as she criticized Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s proposal for private donors to channel their contributions directly to the City Treasurer’s Office instead of the Cebu Medical Society (CMS).

“That would be highly irregular and improper,” De los Santos said.

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She said this would be because of the absence of formal agreements between the donors and the Cebu City government, and she pointed out that no deeds of donation had been executed nor any donation drives conducted in compliance with City Ordinance No. 2439.

The City Ordinance No. 2439 establishes guidelines for donation drives initiated by the city, and she argued that, in its absence, the funds would remain private in nature, leaving donors with full authority over how their contributions would be allocated.

Under scrutiny

The CCMC construction, which has been plagued by delays, is currently under scrutiny in a series of executive sessions. These sessions focused on a proposed tripartite agreement among the city government, the donors, and CMS to formalize and document the donation drive intended for completing the hospital’s 8th, 9th, and 10th floors.

De los Santos pointed out that the proposed agreement, initiated during former Mayor Michael Rama’s administration, is fraught with technicalities that could be remedied through a PPP.

She believed this alternative could ensure transparency and expedite the project.

PPP model suggested

The councilor suggested the PPP model as a practical solution, and cited its successful implementation in the establishment of the Operation Smile Philippines-Cebu Center of Excellence, which occupied the entire 7th floor of CCMC.

Under this arrangement, private donors would submit unsolicited proposals to the city government for review and approval by the city’s PPP unit. The selected donors would then choose contractors and oversee construction in compliance with guidelines.

“With this setup, they [the donors] will, in a way, be donating a certain floor that they will finish. This removes the need for the donation drive to be coursed through CMS or the city government,” De los Santos said.

Issues surrounding CCMC

De los Santos also questioned the long-standing issues surrounding the CCMC project, alleging corruption and mismanagement.

“The CCMC project has been there since 2015—close to 10 years already. Wa gyud nahuman, nahimo na na siyang, sad to say, a milking cow to whoever is involved there,” she said.

(The CCMC project has been there since 2015–close to 10 years already. It has never been finished, it has become, sad to say, a milking cow to whoever is involved there.)

De los Santos expressed frustration over the frequent changes in contractors and the numerous variations in the CCMC project. She urged all stakeholders to prioritize integrity, appealing for the hospital to be spared from corruption, emphasizing that countless people rely on its completion.

“I am appealing to everyone, spare CCMC of any corruption kay daghan kaayo ta’g mga tawo nga nanginhanglan.”

(I am appealing to everyone, spare CCMC of any corruption because many of our people are in need.)

Garcia defends proposal

Meanwhile, Garcia defended his proposal during a press conference. He asserted that routing donations through the City Treasurer’s Office would ensure accountability and would avoid questions about fund utilization.

He criticized CMS for charging a fee through the proposed tripartite agreement and warned that such an arrangement would invite finger-pointing.

Dr. Peter Mancao, CCMC medical director and former CMS president, reported that the donated funds amount to P205 million and were held in a CMS bank account dedicated to the donation drive. However, Mancao declined to disclose donor identities, citing a non-disclosure clause.

The Cebu City Council has yet to approve the tripartite agreement, while the City Legal Office has flagged issues related to the nature of the funds, CMS’s authority, and the requirement for public bidding.