For many Cebuanos, the Cebu City Medical Center has become a symbol of a project that seems to have no finish line. More than a decade after reconstruction began, the 10-storey public hospital remains incomplete despite repeated funding and construction efforts. The long wait has left residents wondering when the facility will finally begin serving patients. Read on to find out what city officials say is causing the delay and what steps are now being proposed.
Fresh Calls To Speed Up Construction
During the Cebu City Council session on June 30, Councilor Dave Tumulak urged Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. to hire an independent project management consultant to oversee the remaining work. According to Tumulak, the consultant would monitor construction, manage schedules, oversee contracts, ensure quality control, and help prevent further delays. He described the hospital as one of the city’s most important infrastructure projects, saying every delay affects residents who rely on accessible public healthcare. The proposal aims to improve project management and move construction toward completion.
Questions Over Years Of Delays
The discussion also highlighted concerns over why the project has remained unfinished for more than 12 years. Tumulak disclosed that the contractor handling the current phase has completed less than 30 percent of its assigned work. Several councilors questioned the slow progress and called for a clearer explanation from the agencies involved. The City Council has requested comprehensive status reports from the Department of Engineering and Public Works, the Cebu City Medical Center administration, the City Planning and Development Office, and the Office of the City Administrator.
Accountability Remains A Key Issue
Some city officials believe the focus should also include determining who should be held responsible for the prolonged delays. Councilor Sisinio Andales called for accountability and said administrative cases should be considered if evidence shows lapses in the project’s implementation. Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, meanwhile, expressed doubts about whether hiring another consultant alone would solve the problem, noting the absence of a complete working program for the hospital. Even so, council members agreed that stronger oversight is needed to prevent additional setbacks.
Completion Targets Remain In Place
The city government has resumed Phase 5 of the reconstruction, which covers the completion of the fourth to seventh floors of the hospital. Officials are targeting the completion of this phase by December 2026, with partial operations expected to begin in early 2027. The current construction contract is valued at more than P700 million, while another P400 million has been allocated for structural rectification. Cebu City is also seeking P300 million from the Department of Health to purchase essential medical equipment, including MRI and X-ray machines, laboratory equipment, dialysis units, hospital beds, and patient monitoring systems.
A Project Many Hope To See Completed
The reconstruction of the Cebu City Medical Center began after the original building was declared unsafe following the 2013 Bohol earthquake. Since then, the project has faced procurement issues, contract changes, technical challenges, and shifts in city leadership. With renewed calls for professional oversight and greater accountability, many residents are hoping the long-delayed hospital will finally open its doors in the coming years. Until then, the unfinished building continues to stand as one of Cebu City’s most closely watched public infrastructure projects.
