Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Gabriel H. Bordado, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
National reference laboratories are vital in providing reliable microbiological analysis 
of clinical specimens and are important in supporting and guiding clinical laboratories around 
the country in adopting national standards and protocols for microbiological analysis. Sub-
national Reference Laboratories, in turn, aid in those functions by supporting and 
decentralizing tasks for the national reference laboratories in order to expedite results without 
compromising the quality of service. 
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced the whole world into lockdowns and which 
has greatly limited movement within our country, highlights the importance of establishing 
more sub-national reference laboratories in the country. The current challenges we are facing 
emphasizes the need to provide coordinated, unified, and timely analysis as well as response, 
and surveillance of clinical specimens and other potentially infectious agents so as to be able 
to protect the public’s health and safety. 
With the improvement of medical facilities of the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City, my 
office is more than ready to provide additional support to the national reference laboratories 
and other sub-national reference laboratories by way of extending quality laboratory services 
to a wider population. This bill seeks to establish a Bicol-South Luzon Sub-National Reference 
Laboratory geared towards expanding and improving the laboratory services being catered to 
Bicol and other nearby regions. 
GABRIEL H. BORDADO, JR. 
3rd District, Camarines Sur 
May 31, 2021
11:49 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Gabriel H. Bordado, Jr. 
AN ACT  
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BICOL-SOUTH LUZON  
SUB-NATIONAL REFERENCE LABORATORY AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be provided the establishment of a Bicol-South Luzon 
Sub-National Reference Laboratory (BSL-SNRL). 
SEC.2. This Act shall have the following objectives: 
a.
Its general objective is to establish the BSL-SNRL with the aim of expanding the
laboratory services being catered in Bicol to nearby regions thus making its services
more accessible to a larger population in line with the Universal Health Care
implementation.
b. The specific objective is to institutionalize and harmonize enabling mechanisms in
the operations of the BSL-SNRL thereby providing improved services, and;
c.
To strengthen the capacity and capability of the BSL-SNRL through networking,
partnership and collaboration with other regions.
SEC. 3. Composition and Function. The BSL-SNRL shall be comprised of two (2) 
sections— the Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (RDRL) and the 
Regional Blood Center (RBC). 
The RDRL shall be in-charge of the following units: 
1.
The Enteric Laboratory.
a.
It shall provide confirmatory testing at the regional level of food and water-
borne diseases to minimize lag time and shipment of samples to Research
Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM);
b. Examines samples submitted by the Regional Epidemiology and
Surveillance Unit (RESU) during clustering of cases and/or outbreaks; and
c.
Provide diagnostic services to food handlers.
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2. Water Laboratory. 
 
a. Provide water bacteriological analyses from health facilities, food 
establishments and water refilling stations; and 
 
b. Examines samples submitted by RESU during clustering of cases/or 
outbreaks. 
 
3. Water Physico-Chemical Analysis Laboratory.  
 
Provide physical and chemical analyses of water from residents, health facilities, 
food establishments and water refilling stations. 
 
4. COVID-19 Sub-National Laboratory. 
 
a. Provide confirmatory testing at the regional level to minimize lag time and 
shipment of samples to RITM; and  
 
b. Provide diagnostic services to the population. 
 
5. Dengue Sub-National Laboratory. 
 
a. Provide confirmatory testing at the regional level to minimize lag time and 
shipment of samples to RITM; 
 
b. Enable rapid testing of samples from outbreaks; and 
 
c. Provide diagnostic services to the population. 
 
6. Entomology Laboratory. 
 
a. Study the vector biology and distribution of vectors of medical importance 
in Bicol; 
 
b. Monitor insecticide resistance and evaluate efficacy of currently employed 
vector control measure against the transmission of vector-borne diseases; 
 
c. Facilitate scientific researches in the field of public health entomology in 
collaboration with the Department of Medical Entomology, RITM; 
 
d. Provide solutions, enhance responses and monitor entries of new and 
existing mosquito-borne pathogens towards a strengthened, vigilant and 
efficient prevention, control and elimination of mosquito-borne diseases. 
 
7. TB Reference Laboratory. 
 
a. Technical arm of TB and HIV-AIDS Programs for trainings and laboratory 
diagnosis; 
 
b. Performs the following services referred by the health facilities: 
 
i. GeneXpert for HIV Viral Load and Refampicin Resistance; 
ii. Direct Sputum Smear Microscopy (DSSM); 
iii. Solid TB Culture. 


The regional RBC shall ensure adequate supply of blood through voluntary blood donations, 
maintain the highest standard testing and processing of blood, institutionalize equitable 
system of distribution of blood and blood components to blood service facilities and 
strengthen efficient referral system among blood service facilities within the region and will 
be composed of the wing units: 
 
1. Blood Management Unit which will be in-charge of blood donor recruitment and 
advocacy, blood donation and donor care and retention; 
 
2. Blood Screening Unit (Serology); 
 
3. Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) Unit (Confirmatory Test)* 
 
4. Blood Component Processing Unit; 
 
5. Blood Storage and Issuance Uit 
 
There shall be a Biosafety and Biosecurity* and Quality Assurance Units* which shall 
ensure quality laboratory standards/processes and biosafety/biosecurity protocols are 
implemented. 
 
 
 
SEC. 4. Appropriation. The Department of Health shall include in its program the 
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the Annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
 
 
SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of Health shall 
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
 
 
SEC. 6. Separability Clause. If any part, section or provision of this Act is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force 
and effect. 
 
 
SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, and rules and 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed and modified 
accordingly. 
 
 
SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,