A P400-million annex building for the Manila-run Justice Abad Santos Memorial Medical Center (JASMMC) in Binondo remains at the foundation stage after seven years of stalled construction, despite the hospital’s struggle to accommodate poor patients from surrounding slum areas.

Medical workers at the facility raised the alarm about the uncompleted project, noting that the proposed seven-story annex, which would significantly increase bed capacity for free hospitalization, has been idle since its initial phases.

The construction, located behind the main JASMMC building, was reportedly started in 2018 during the administration of then-Mayor Joseph Estrada and overseen by then-City Engineer Roberto Bernardo.

The project was divided into at least two construction phases, which reportedly led to the release of P200 million in budget allocations. Great Pacific Builders was awarded Phase 1, and Amethyst Horizon Construction secured Phase 2.

However, despite the completion of these initial phases, the site is currently still at the “digging stage” and has not progressed in seven years.

A third construction phase, with a budget of P150 million, is reportedly about to be awarded.