The Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas (DA7) held a ground breaking ceremony today, July 22, 2024 for the construction of the P 115.9-million Integrated Laboratory Division (ILD) building, inside the DA7’s Complex, Maguikay, Mandaue City.

 

Led by DA7’s Regional Executive Director Cirilo Namoc, together with Regional Technical Directors Wilberto Castillo and Fabio Enriquez, division chiefs and representatives from the winning contractor, the ILD building will serve as a one-stop agricultural integrated laboratory for Central Visayas. The new building will house four (4) laboratories, namely Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC), Regional Soils (RDL), Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic (RADDL) and Regional Feed Chemical Analysis (RFCAL).

 

Director Namoc said the ILD is a dream come true for the region. He acknowledged the teamwork and cooperation of the concerned personnel of DA, that the building becomes a reality. Further, he said “this is just the first step of a thousand journeys”.

 

Norma Repol, chief of the ILD said that having all laboratories in one area will be convenient for the DA7 clients when transacting laboratories services. Also, the ILD is identified as a reference laboratory in the Visayas regions.

 

Based on the Food Safety Act of 2013 or Republic Act No. 10611, and on DA-DOH Administrative Order No. 2015-0007, the government aims to maintain a farm to fork food safety regulation system to ensure a high level of food safety, promote fair trade and advances global competiveness of Philippine food and food products.

 

To comply with the food safety act, the DA is promoting Good Agricultural Practices, Good Animal Husbandry Practices and Organic Agriculture, as well as facilitate the issuance of farm certification having met food safety standards.