Firm says only P8.5 million of P42.5M is ‘pro bono’

The architectural and engineering firm behind the design of the new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building agrees with Mayor Tomas Osmeña that the firm will give free services to the city, but not for all the work it has rendered.

Architect Mischa Maxime “Miko” Espina said the firm is only giving P8.5 million as free professional fee, and not the total amount of P42.5 million.

Under the first billing that Espina sent to Osmeña, the total architect’s fee is P42.5 million but the firm is only asking P33.3 million, since there is P8.5 million pro bono services for the schematic design phase of the new CCMC building.

“We stated it in our first billing statement nga naay pro bono,” Espina told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Espina’s firm is asking the city to pay P33.3 million but Osmeña said the city will not give out the city’s funds for it.

The Cebu City Legal Office had earlier issued an opinion that the city has no legal basis to pay for the P33.3 million professional service rendered by Espina, PerezEspina and Associates.

In the legal opinion, Lawyer Bernard Inocentes Garcia said there was no Notice of Award signed by the city mayor in favor of the firm and the Bids and Awards Committee resolution recommending to the city mayor the award of the contract of the said firm.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella agrees with the opinion rendered by the City Legal Office, saying Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act should be observed.

Osmeña said Espina’s firm should collect its professional fees from former mayor Michael Rama, who was the mayor when the transaction took place.

“Who chose? Was there selection process? Tell him to let Mike Rama pay it. Mike Rama selected the guy (Espina),” Osmeña said.

Rama said Espina’s firm is composed of professional individuals.

“I will not make judgment whether the city should pay them or not. Assuming that they have finished the design, they have worked for it…I think they know what steps to be done,” Rama said in a phone interview yesterday.

Rama said he is not saying that Espina’s should go after the city government, but he believes that the firm has several lawyers.

“They know what to do. I hope the city government will deal with them professionally,” Rama added.