CCMC is structurally sound — Archival

Local

DEFECTIVE installations, rather than a confirmed failure of the building’s structure, are at the center of safety concerns surrounding the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), according to Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival.

Archival said engineers had found the hospital’s structure sound, but stressed that components that failed testing or did not meet specifications must be corrected before the remaining construction works can proceed.

He made the clarification on Monday, Oct. 12, as the city government works to address deficiencies in earlier construction phases that have complicated the completion of Phase 5.

“Dili na tinuod nga ang ilang konsepto nga sa pagkakaron [is] unsafe. Dugay na baya kay na nag-operate…[It’s] structurally sound. Walay problema,” Archival said in an interview, referring to the assessment of the hospital’s structural condition.

The mayor acknowledged that some installed components did not conform to specifications and had failed testing.

He said the city was working to determine how to address these deficiencies.

“Unsafe in the sense nga kung wala nato gi-rectify, mao [na ang] unsafe,” Archival said.

He explained that the concern centered on proceeding with defective works without addressing the identified issues, rather than a confirmed failure of the building’s structural integrity.

Archival also cited the hospital’s roughly 10 years of operation, saying there had been no incident involving structural cracking.

He acknowledged, however, that hairline cracks may have appeared following a typhoon.

He stressed that the city must ensure the remaining works meet the required structural and technical standards, even when installations are temporary.

The Cebu City Council is also examining technical deficiencies in the hospital’s earlier construction phases and their implications for Phase 5.

During an executive session on Sept. 29, the council approved a motion seeking guidance from the Commission on Audit (COA) on the legal and procedural requirements the city must meet before deciding how to proceed with the remaining construction.

The discussions covered reported deficiencies in the hospital’s electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection systems.

Electrical engineer Brian Pasilan presented findings from a 2025 audit of CCMC’s electrical system, identifying concerns involving power cables, transformers, grounding, switchgear, generator systems and distribution panels, among other components.

The findings also raised questions about whether the installed systems complied with technical specifications and whether the required testing and commissioning records were available.

Pasilan previously described the electrical condition as posing serious hazards and power reliability concerns.

He also acknowledged that corrective measures had since been undertaken in the hospital’s operations.

These deficiencies have complicated Phase 5 because the building’s systems are interconnected, meaning problems in earlier phases can affect the completion and operation of the entire facility.

Engr. Ricky Dakay of Dakay Construction, the Phase 5 contractor, told the council that his company was not involved in the earlier phases and that its contract did not cover correcting deficiencies from those works.

Archival said the city was exploring ways to address the outstanding problems, including the possible termination of contracts covering certain earlier phases.

He added that the city would examine who was responsible for specifications that failed to meet requirements.

The council’s request for COA guidance is intended to clarify the procedures the city must follow to address the deficiencies and determine how the remaining construction can proceed.(TGP)