The Regional Health Research and Development Consortium in Region IV was launched last July 19, 2007 at the De La Salle Health Sciences Institute (DLSHSI). The launch was lead by Dr. Jaime Montoya, the Executive Director of PCHRD and his staff who also conducted an orientation meeting for the participants. The DLSHSI through it's Research Division ( Angelo King Medical Research Center ), represented by Dr. Melchor Frias, the Vice Chancellor for Research, was designated as convenor of the consortium.

The launch and orientation meeting was attended by representatives from the following institutions: De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, De La Salle-Lipa, University of the Philippines-Los Banos, University of the Perpetual Help-Laguna, Batangas Regional Hospital, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region IV, Center for Health and Development (CHD) IV-A and IV-B, and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region IV-A. Dr. Montoya and his staff gave the participants some background information on PCHRD in general and on the Regional Health Research and Development Consortium in particular. Dr. Frias moderated the open forum where participants aired their queries, comments and concerns.

All of the participating institutions were recognized as the initial members of the consortium. Each representative was instructed to inform their heads of the establishment of the consortium. The group agreed to meet again to formally organize the consortium and draw up a Memorandum of Agreement.

On September 25, 2007, another meeting was held at De La Salle Lipa to discuss the Memorandum of Agreement and organize the consortium. This was a one-day planning workshop involving representatives from each of the 9 members of RHRDC-4 and PCHRD.

The consortium was officially named as the Health Research and Development Consortium Region IV or HRDCR-IV. Organizationally, it shall composed of the Advisory Board, the Management Committee and the Subcommittees on Research Development, Capacity Building, Ethics Review and Research Utilization.

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was formulated. It was then distributed to the different institutions for review, revisions and final approval prior to a formal signing ceremonies. The MOA was eventually signed last January 17, 2008 at the DLSHSI. However, not all 10 institutions were present, so signing was not completed during the ceremonies. Upon distribution to the other institutions for signing, three institutions did not sign due to some technical problems regarding the source of funding of the consortium. This lead to a delay in the implementation of programs and activities of the consortium. Notwithstanding this, the grant for health research projects was given to the consortium and another meeting was scheduled on September 17, 2008 to review and finalized the strategic and work plans. The MOA was finally completely signed on November 07, 2009.

Excerpt from Health Research and Development Consortium Region IV Progress Report CY 2009 by Melchor Victor G. Frias IV, MD, MSc