CLMMRH-Bacolod Molecular Lab Inaugurated

July 12, 2020

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya, DOH-6 regional director Dr. Marlyn Convocar, and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) medical center chief Dr. Julius Drilon cut the ribbon and unveiled the marker to officially open the CLMMRH – Bacolod City BSL3 (Bio-safety Level 3) Molecular Laboratory yesterday (July 11).

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya, DOH-6 regional director Dr. Marlyn Convocar, and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) medical center chief Dr. Julius Drilon.* (Bacolod City PIO)

The CLMMRH- Bacolod City Biolab is one of only 3 Level 3 biosafety laboratories in the country, and the first outside Metro Manila, the other two being the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and UP National Institutes of Health.

It is the first hospital-based Level 3 biolab in the Philippines, and the first biolab established through an LGU- DOH partnership, in this case, between the City Government of Bacolod and CLMMRH. It is the 78th biolab nationwide, 4th in Western Visayas, and 2nd in Negros Occidental.

The CLMMRH- Bacolod City Biolab can perform 100 tests per day, with a turnaround time of 72 hours (3 days).

This is envisioned to help in the fight against COVID-19 and other diseases.