Gwangyang City officials led by Mayor Jeong Hyunbok together with Korean business representatives paid a visit to the Port of Cagayan de Oro on 08 November 2019, during their four-day visit to Cagayan de Oro to seal the deal with the City LGU for partnership and bilateral cooperation between the two cities.

The Korean delegation met the officials of the Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro headed by Port Manager Isidro V. Butaslac, Jr.

“As our two cities strengthen and continue to promote mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation, we also look forward that this Port would be able to stride towards strengthening mutually beneficial ties.”, PM Butaslac remarked in his welcome message. As a “Green Port” labeled by APEC Port Services Network (APSN) under its Green Port Award System (GPAS),  PM Butaslac further said that the CDO Port is hopeful to gain further knowledge on the realm of environmental protection and preservation, and port productivity and sustainability from Gwangyang City and its port.

Videos about the Port, its services, programs, initiatives, and measures for environmental protection and conservation were shown to the guests. The guests in return presented a short video about their own Gwangyang Port in South Korea which caters over three (3) million tons of cargo volume and shipping around the world.

Mayor Jeong praised the CDO Port, which he said that although relatively small [compared to Gwangyang], the CDO Port is progressive. He also gave kudos to the Port’s “green” initiatives for the environment. He was likewise hopeful that a direct trade route between Cagayan de Oro and Gwangyang will be opened in the near future and that the ties between the two cities may be also extended to the ports, especially on establishing mutual ties in terms of logistics.

The Gwangyang City is one of the sister cities of Cagayan de Oro, bound by partnerships and bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, tourism, among others. The two cities have established friendly relations since 2012. — by  IMR Lam