TACLOBAN CITY – Tingog party-list, led by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez, and Jude Acidre, unveiled the newly modernized Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory (RSTL) last June 27 as part of its commitment to bringing quality government services closer to Filipinos.
The state-of-the-art facility, funded with P42 million from Tingog, is an important milestone in Leyte’s pursuit of quality assurance, aimed at improving progress throughout Eastern Visayas.
“The unveiling of our modernized RSTL marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards excellence. This state-of-the-art facility is not just an achievement for Tingog party-list, but a beacon of progress and innovation for all of Eastern Visayas,” Rep. Acidre said in a statement.
“This project is a testament to Tingog’s commitment to an inclusive social development, underscoring the importance of empowering regional offices to make services more accessible to Filipinos as part of our Bagong Pilipinas,” he added.
Also present during the ceremony were Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for Special Concerns Dr. Teodoro Gatchalian, the regional officer-in-charge John Glenn Ocaña, and his assistant for technical operations Marilyn Radam.
The RSTL has three laboratories catering to different services, each composed of qualified professionals: the microbiology laboratory, metrology and calibration laboratory, and physico-chemical laboratory.
The new microbiology laboratory is for the testing of water, wastewater, and food/food products. It is accredited by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and is in partnership with Primewater and the Eastern Visayas Medical Center.
The metrology and calibration laboratory remains the major provider of volumetric and mass calibration services in the region. This laboratory provides on-site testing and calibration services upon request from different agencies across Region 8. It offers small volume, big volume, mass pressure, thermometry, and length calibrations.
Lastly, the physico-chemical laboratory offers analytical tests of water, wastewater, and food/food products. It complies with the Chemistry Profession Act and is staffed by registered chemists and chemical technicians.
The Region 8 RSTL was established in 1998 to provide testing and calibration services to industries, researchers, students, and other customers.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
