Cebu City council trains guns on CCMC construction

Local

THE Cebu City Council is focusing once again on the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), calling for Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia to temporarily suspend the release of the P700 million budget allocated for the project.

During an executive session, council members expressed concerns over outstanding issues related to the construction, particularly regarding the donations collected through the Cebu Medical Society.

Reports indicate that at least P200 million in donations has been secured from major contributors, including Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Ayala Land, Inc., D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) Holdings, Filinvest Land, Inc., Megawide Construction Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Robinsons Land Corp., SBS Philippines Corp., and SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

Bo Varquez, head of the South Road Properties Management Office, updated the council on the financial status of the project, saying that P205 million is currently available to complete the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors of the CCMC.

He emphasized that the construction team is strictly adhering to the original plans and Programs of Works and Estimates (POWE).

To streamline the funding process, Varquez suggested creating a tripartite agreement among the Cebu City Government, the Cebu Medical Society, and private donors.

This agreement would clarify the terms of fund utilization and enhance collaboration among the stakeholders.

Jonathan Tumulak, representing the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), informed the council that C.E. Padilla Construction Inc. (CEPCI) had received a Certificate of Completion and Acceptance for Phase 1 of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) construction.

However, he pointed out that Phase 2, which includes the lower and upper ground floors, has not yet been formally completed with CEPCI.

City Councilor Mary Ann De los Santos emphasized the importance of obtaining Certificates of Completion for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 before proceeding to Phase 3, calling this requirement essential for proper construction protocols.

In 2016, the council allocated P300 million for Phase 2 and P500 million for Phase 1. Tumulak explained that the P110 million still owed to CEPCI is for additional work beyond the original contract, including changes made to accommodate COVID-19 patients during the pandemic.

The DEPW has requested a Supplemental Budget to cover these additional expenses, but it is still awaiting approval.

De los Santos expressed concerns about the multiple variation orders and extra work requests since the project began in 2014, suggesting that this may indicate the project started without a complete engineering plan.

In response, Tumulak said that while the original engineering plan was complete, the project’s scope needed to adapt over time.

He acknowledged that more than five variation orders have been issued since construction began, noting that these changes were necessary due to budget limitations and evolving pandemic needs.(MyTVCebu)