On November 11, 2021, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) as a DOH Regional Laboratory was visited by a Black and Veatch Philippines team. Black and Veatch Philippines was commissioned by the Department of Health (DOH) to assess RITM, Sub National Laboratories, and DOH Regional Laboratories around the Philippines.

Black and Veatch Philippines is an employee-owned engineering, procurement, consulting, and construction company with a 100-year legacy of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. The goal of this assessment is to ensure Biosurveillance, Biosafety, and Security standards are met.

During the preliminary meeting, CRMC representatives headed by our Medical Center Chief, Dr. Ishmael R. Dimaren had a sit-down discussion with the team led by Dr. Rohani Navarro. It was discussed what to expect during the 2-day site assessment. The team will do a semi-remote facility and capacity assessment thru cooperative activities to ensure capability development by providing Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and technical support.

Recently, CRMC has been designated as one of the Sub - National Laboratories in the country for Vaccine Preventable Diseases such as Measles, Rotavirus, and Japanese encephalitis by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). This assessment will also help the institution once CRMC functions as Sub-National Laboratory, expected in 2022.

The attendees of the preliminary meeting from CRMC were Dr. Ishmael R. Dimaren, Medical Center Chief, Dr. Sherjan P. Kalim, OIC- CMPS, Dr. Nena C. Salcedo-Lingayon, Pathology Department Head, Ms. Venus S. Medoza, Chief Medical Technologist, Mr. Norhan P. Mangansakan, Mr. Jobert A. Castillon, and Mr. Velchie B. Tindoc. The team from the Black and Veatch headed by Dr. Rohani Navarro were Mr. Federick Navarro, Architect Angelica Ditan and Ms. Beatrice Piolo.