Yogi Ruiz: If CCMC has defects, then I’ll close it if I become mayor

Cebu City candidate say he will then build a new hospital at SRP

CCMC file photo.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City mayoral candidate Yogi Filemon Ruiz said he would shut down the unfinished Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) and build a new, “world-class” hospital at the South Road Properties (SRP) if elected mayor in 2025.

This is, he said, contingent upon confirmation that the CCMC had structural defects and would no longer (be) safe to use.

In an exclusive interview with CDN Digital on April 22, the former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director, criticized the decade-long failure to complete CCMC. He called it a symbol of “political grandstanding and poor governance.”

READ: Raymond wants P120 million as addt’l budget for CCMC

Ruiz said the city must stop forcing the hospital’s completion if structural issues would prove unsafe, and instead start fresh, this time with proper planning and professional leadership.

“Let’s stop approaching this problem politically. If the CCMC has structural defects, let’s shut it down. Let’s stop the bragging and start building something our people truly deserve,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz took a swipe at incumbent mayor and mayoral candidate Raymond Alvin Garcia, who has publicly pledged, both as mayor and in his campaign platform, to complete the CCMC as soon as possible, with additional floors ready for bidding.

He said that public safety and accountability must be the top priorities, citing reports of structural concerns that remained unresolved even after the construction had consumed between P2 billion and P3 billion in expenditures over nearly 10 years.

“There’s too much pride involved. If a structural engineer confirms it’s unsafe, then let’s stop pretending and build a new one at SRP. Let’s not wait for another disaster like the building collapse in Bangkok,” he added.

READ: CCMC still unfinished after nearly a decade, P2B expenditure

Ruiz, who is running under Partido Cebuano, challenging Cebu City’s entrenched political dynasties, said it is time to elect leaders who focus on results, not reelection.

“We’ve been electing the same politicians again and again, and where are we now? Left behind by cities like Baguio and even South Cotabato. We keep talking about finishing CCMC — 10 years later, it’s still a ruin,” he said.

In the meantime, Ruiz proposed a stopgap solution: equipping the city’s 80 barangay health centers with hospital-grade beds, equipment, and trained personnel.

“If each health center had just five beds, we’d have 400 beds across the city. That’s a functioning decentralized hospital system while we figure out the CCMC,” Ruiz said.

READ: CCMC: A decade of delays and still no clear end in sight

He lamented how billions of pesos have been poured into CCMC without a clear plan or transparency, accusing past and current city administrations of using the issue for political gain.

“The billions spent? Wasted by people who don’t know their jobs. No science, just politics. We keep announcing pre-biddings and donor pledges, but where’s the result? The people are the ones who suffer,” he said.

The CCMC was originally set for completion in 2014, following the destruction of the old hospital during the 2013 earthquake. But after a decade, billions in government allocations, and multiple contractors, the hospital remains incomplete and mired in controversy.

In August 2024, the Cebu City Council summoned engineers overseeing the project. Instead of clarity, they received conflicting accounts from city officials.

While CCMC project director, Engineer Robert Varquez, said construction on the upper floors had not begun, DEPW Acting Head, Engineer Lowelle Corminal, contradicted him, claiming civil works were ongoing, despite the lack of a formal contract or approved program of works.

READ: Abalos pushes for ‘super health centers’ to expand access to healthcare

Councilor Nestor Archival Sr. and Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos have repeatedly flagged this irregularity, demanding transparency and proper procurement.

Delos Santos also criticized the Cebu Medical Society (CMS) for directly receiving P205 million in private donations that remain untouched due to an unresolved trust agreement.

In late 2023, former mayor Michael Rama said the CCMC would be completed using P1 billion in private pledges — not a single centavo from City Hall — but the status and usage of those funds remain unclear.

Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has pushed for a supplemental budget, with P210 million earmarked to finally complete the 8th to 10th floors.

Garcia has also demanded that CMS turn over the private donations to the city’s treasurer for proper accounting, citing legal obligations and COA rules.

Ruiz positioned himself as a reformist alternative in the upcoming 2025 elections, saying Cebu needs a leader trained in management and execution, not campaign rhetoric.

“People say, ‘Yogi Ruiz was never councilor, never vice mayor.’ But was Tommy Osmeña a councilor before he became mayor? He delivered results. And I believe I can do the same,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz stressed that if elected and a structural audit proves CCMC unsalvageable, the best course of action would be to repurpose or demolish the existing structure and construct a new public hospital at SRP — one that can match the country’s best in healthcare service.

“We can’t stop dreaming of a real public hospital. If CCMC can’t be saved, let’s not be afraid to build something better. Let’s get it right this time — scientifically, not politically,” he said.