Construction of Cebu City Medical Center enters 10th year

NINE years and three mayors ago, the Cebu City government began the construction of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC). It was to be a modern, 10-story medical facility catering to the residents of Cebu City in general, the lower-income residents in particular. The need for a new city-owned hospital was obvious: the old CCMC building was rendered unsafe after the Oct. 15, 2013 earthquake of 7.2 magnitude. Hospital operations were transferred to a temporary location at the building of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Alas, as of today, only the three lower floors are operational. Not even the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic can explain or justify the fact that the hospital remains unfinished nine years after construction commenced. Worse, it is not clear how much still needs to be done, how much it will cost, how much has already been spent, and whether what is already there is structurally safe and sound.