Move to bring cancer center to Cebu City faces obstacles South Road Properties

CEBU, Philippines – While a cancer center at the South Road Properties is seen to attract clients from other countries in Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday the city may not be able to give its final word to the MD Anderson Cancer Center by August.
The MD Anderson Cancer Center of the University of Texas in the United States has expressed intention to invest on a cancer center at the SRP but Osmeña says the same faces several obstacles, one of which is the fact that the institution is state-owned, thereby, not allowed to invest outside Texas.
“They are not even allowed to put up in California…how much more in the Philippines? So somebody else can invest for them,” Osmeña said.
(The Freeman) Updated June 05, 2009 12:00 AM



The MD Anderson Cancer Center is considered to be the best in the world.
Aside from this, Osmeña said all stakeholders must also be fully cooperative to the proposed project.
“It’s like Tiger Woods wanting to come here in the Philippines…and so I have to organize the tournament, get the players interested,” Osmeña said.
Osmeña said the city is eyeing several possible investors that may best provide the building and equipment, however, the management of the institution will solely be by MD Anderson.
“Desperate people, those who wanted to live and get cured will go to MD Anderson. There was even one who will fly in and fly out of Hongkong to Houston for treatment,” he said.
The cancer center earns around $1,000 a day for the bed alone, exclusive of the chemotherapy and other treatment fees.
There was even a time when the center earned $6.5 million for one day from chemotherapy.
“I think this is the assignment that the Sto. Niño gave me, I will let you live bring MD Anderson here,” the mayor said.
Should the project pushes through, Osmeña said it is preferable that the cancer center will be located within the 50.6-hectare area of the Filinvest Land Inc. project, considering that the patients will have to rent apartments and condominiums.
The patients, relatives and friends will also be accommodated by the units that will be built soon by Filinvest.
Meanwhile, Osmeña said the city is not interested to pursue with a Joint Venture Agreement with the Korean investor who wants to build a condominium hotel at the Kawit Island. The investor reportedly failed to show proof of its track record.
Aside from this, Osmeña said the Kawit Island is not for sale, something that the Korean investor would want to do.
The Korean investor and another American investor met with Osmeña over the weekend to express interest to engage in a project similar to that of Filinvest. But Osmeña said he does not want a “white elephant” at the SRP.
“I don’t want that. I don’t want the investors to compete and kill each other. They should be specialized so that they will earn,” Osmeña said. – Ferliza C. Contratista/JMO (THE FREEMAN)