The One-stop Laboratory Services for Global Competitiveness (OneLab) program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in recent years, has gained significant traction due to its high return rates for its services. The program advocates its sustainability to provide testing and calibration services to over 500,000 customers through its institutionalization. OneLab’s initiative for a unified laboratory information management system partnered with 57 network members of local and international laboratories accredited to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 expanded its capabilities to engage with Metrology, Rubber, Halal, Food and Drinking Water Safety, Food Innovation Centers, and SETUP, with plans to broaden laboratory services. OneLab collected a total of Php724,064,255.27 from 2017 to 2021, equivalent to an average of Php144,812,851 fees collected annually, and has since been reverted to the national treasury.
These numbers were accumulated from the 1,158,841 tests and calibrations conducted on 781,273 samples submitted to the pool of facilities. The strategy to upgrade laboratories and produce top-level laboratory personnel stems from the foreseen demand for standards and testing laboratories worldwide. With this in mind, the program has set its direction to be smarter as a network of globally renowned laboratories distinguished for its quality, proficiency, and reliability in the provision of testing, calibration, research and development (R&D), and training services. Furthermore, OneLab in its entirety applies to the newly imposed socioeconomic agenda of the current administration which calls for digitalization through providing accessible and efficient government service. In connection to this, the DOST’s planned programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) ensued the creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) with the purpose of determining the requirements to sustain the program and execute its integrated data system through the creation of the program’s roadmap. The roadmap indicates the plans to engage in training programs, increase and enhance OneLab facilities, expand membership to cater to a wider variety of services, inter-agency collaborations, augment services, to name a few. These efforts support the program’s directive to be globally competitive in providing analytical and calibration services available in one single touch point. The program reinforces its overall strategies to enhance Human Resource, Laboratory Services, Laboratory Network, Laboratory Infrastructure and Facilities, IT Platforms, and Sustainability Strategies.
The union of research and development institutions and regional testing laboratories from the DOST and non-DOST members cater to a wide array of services essential to address organizational needs. This includes partnerships with PEZA zones extending S&T support for exporting, being at par with international standards. With the application of international standard testing and implementation of method validation and development, OneLab incorporates systematic processing to augment global recognition of its services.
The program’s sustainability rests on its eventual institutionalization. OneLab’s assistance to its current customers would, in due course, be available to the masses granted that it be provided the relevant funding necessary to maintain its progress. Aside from servicing MSMEs, researchers, LGUs, regulatory agencies and industries it also supports research and development activities making it apparent to gain legislative support to consistently serve the people, certifying inclusive S&T development for all. #OneDOST4U
To learn more about OneLab’s member laboratories and its offered services, visit web.onelab.ph
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