LESS than five months since Governor Pamela Baricuatro took office, the Cebu Provincial Government has doubled the number of province-run hospitals offering 24/7 clinical laboratory services—from five to 10—expanding round-the-clock diagnostic access and strengthening emergency response across the province.
Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Elisse Nicole “Nikki” Catalan, in a statement from the Cebu Provincial Government’s Public Information page on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, said the additional five district hospitals that are newly upgraded to 24/7 laboratory operations are located in Bantayan, Barili, Camotes, Minglanilla, and Oslob.
“These incremental yet significant improvements show how Cebu’s healthcare system is steadily moving forward,” Catalan said.
Five Capitol-run hospitals that have already been operating 24/7 diagnostic laboratories before July 2025 are the Bogo Provincial Hospital, Danao Provincial Hospital, Carcar Provincial Hospital, Balamban District Hospital and Argao District Hospital. New additions to the list or newly operating 24/7 from July to December 2025 are the Bantayan District Hospital, Barili District Hospital, Camotes District Hospital (Ricardo L. Maningo DH), Minglanilla District Hospital, and Oslob District Hospital.
This raises the province’s 24/7 diagnostic coverage from 31 percent to 62.5 percent, with 10 of the 16 provincial hospitals now offering round-the-clock laboratory services.
Staffing requirement
Cebu Province Public Information Officer Ainjeliz dela Torre Orong said diagnostic services offered by Cebu Province-run district hospitals include clinical procedures such as blood chemistry test, complete blood count (CBC) test, and immunology test. Provincial hospitals offer the same services as district hospitals but provide additional capabilities, including microbiology, gastropathy-related diagnostics, and blood banking.
According to Orong, these services were already available before, but they were not operating 24/7 due to a lack of medical technologists.
Before July 2025, staffing shortages limited most district hospitals to eight-hour laboratory schedules. By December 2025, staffing levels significantly increased, allowing five more hospitals to shift to continuous operations. Bantayan, Barili, Camotes, and Oslob District Hospitals have now met their required staffing for both medtechs and aides, while Minglanilla District Hospital has filled all medtech posts but still lacks laboratory aides.
“This is not just about numbers; it’s about tangible, life-saving impact,” Catalan said, emphasizing that 24/7 laboratory access ensures faster diagnosis, faster treatment, and better outcomes, particularly during emergencies. / CDF