CEBU CITY, Dec. 18 (PNA) — The Cebu City Government’s “Piso Mo, Hospital Ko” fundraising drive for the construction of a modern P1.5-billion Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) has so far raised some P8.5 million.
The CCMC building on N. Bacalso Ave., Cebu City, was declared unfit for occupation after it sustained major damage when the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Cebu and Bohol last October 15.
The Cebu City Treasurer’s Office said the money came from several sources.
The collection areas include the Cebu City Hall and the temporary site of the hospital inside the Bureau of Fire Department across the old CCMC building.
Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said he personally sought audience with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 and learned that the city is no longer required to secure a permit from the agency to undertake the fund drive.
Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol earlier advised the city government to secure a permit from DSWD for the drive.
He said the city’s effort to raise funds is illegal because the city government does not have a permit to solicit.
He said that no matter how noble the intention of the fund drive is, there are rules to be followed when it comes to making solicitations.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and the city legal office insisted, however, that Presidential Decree 1564 or the Solicitations Permit Law does not cover local government units and that the city would continue the fund drive until a court orders it from doing so. (PNA)