Conceived in 2014 in response to the challenge of initiating the harmonization of testing laboratories in the country, the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) OneLab Network has gone a long way. From being a network of laboratories in the country, it is expanding its foreign network that will include Vietnam.
Upon signing a memorandum of understanding, OneLab will be adding Vietnam’s Eurofins Scientific Sac Ky Hai Dang to its current list of eight international member laboratories—including those in Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and United Arab Emirates.
This is in addition to its local network—composed of 16 DOST Regional Standard and Testing Laboratories, seven DOST Research and Development Institute laboratories and 28 non-DOST testing laboratories.
Short for One-stop Laboratory Services for Global Competitiveness, DOST OneLab is a network of testing and calibration laboratories aimed at ensuring availability and broadening public access to testing and calibration services at a single touchpoint through an IT-based platform.
OneLab uniquely facilitates the seamless laboratory transaction from sample receipt to release of test and calibration results as facilitated by its Referral System.
With this efficient system, customers and stakeholders get the fastest turn-around time and expanded test and calibration offerings in the market.
Admer Rey C. Dablio, registered chemist and the customer relations officer for the OneLab, said that Philippine stakeholders—such as big companies and micro, small, and medium enterprises—will benefit much from membership of testing and calibration laboratories abroad since not all test parameters are within the capability of local laboratories in the country.
“With the growing demand for testing and calibration services from the industry, we need to expand our reach of network so that we can immediately identify laboratories, which can cater to test and calibration requests needed to ensure raw material and product safety and quality for the purpose of regulations, product developments and improvements,” Dablio said.
Eurofins Scientific Sac Ky Hai Dang, an accredited laboratory of Vietnam’s Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (Vilas), Bureau of Accreditation, was the first testing laboratory the DOST OneLab Project team visited since the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
DOST OneLab Project Management Team composed of Project Leader and DOST Regional Office IX Assistant Regional Director Rosemarie S. Salazar and DOST-ITDI OneLab Project Coordinator and Quality Manager Admer Rey C. Dablio were welcomed by the Vietnam laboratory executives headed by HCMC Laboratory Manager Nguyen Anh Vu and Business Development Manager Pham Thi Nhan on August 3.
Located at the Saigon Hightech Park, Tan Phu Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chio Minh City, Eurofins has testing services for additives, allergens, amino acids, antibiotics/veterinary drugs, dioxins, fatty acid profile, genetically modified organism, heavy metals, mycotoxins, nutrition, pesticides, and vitamins.
It also has invested in modern laboratory facilities in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City, and a new laboratory newly opened in Hanoi City.
Eurofins is staffed with qualified technical personnel and offers services on analyses for residues and contaminants: pesticides, antibiotics, mycotoxins, heavy metals; nutritional analyses: vitamin and carbohydrates testing, amino acid profile analysis, fatty acid analysis, lipids, inorganic components.
Other technical personnel are experts in microbiological testing; analysis of agricultural and aquatic products, processed food, animal and poultry feed; environmental monitoring samples: water, air, soil, mud; and inspection and audit services.
Image credits: DOST OneLab Network
