The Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro has started to implement additional entry protocol for all port users, clients, or guests entering the premises of the Port of Cagayan de Oro, and Terminal Ports in Balingoan and Camiguin, as one of the heightened measures to prevent the entry and spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ports.
In addition to the Port Security Access Control being implemented in ports, regular employees, outsourced personnel, cargo handling operator personnel, and all other port users/individuals who will be transacting in ports will now have to accomplish an entry form that requires their name, agency, residence address, body temperature upon entering the Port, and travel history for the past week. This said protocol is aimed at enhancing the contact tracing should an individual transacting at the ports is tested positive of COVID-19.
The forms will be collected by the security personnel on duty and will be turned over to the Port Police Division at the end of their shift. A database will be developed and generate from the pedestrians’ profiles subject to Data Privacy Act for efficient retrieval of records during contact tracing.
The Port Police Division has issued Port Advisory/Bulletin/Announcement (PABA) No. 021-2020 on the guidelines on the implementation of the said protocol. The PPD has already conducted an orientation to all the security personnel especially those who will be assigned at the entry points, and a dry run prior to the implementation starting 30 March 2020.
On 30 March 2020, the PMO represented by Port Manager Isidro V. Butaslac Jr. together with the Port Police officers convened with the officials of the Oroport Cargohandling Services, Inc., the cargo handling operator in CDO Port, to discuss process refinements and improvements in the entry protocol and ensure speedy processing of pedestrians, systematic collection and collation of data, and put in place an automated tracking system.
Relatedly, Oroport reported its health protocol which now includes the deployment/provision of thermal guns, face masks and shields, disinfectant footbaths, hand washing stations and periodic disinfection of its areas with mist sprayers to safeguard its 560 regular and probationary employees and around 200 intermittent-hired seasonal workers.–-by IMR LAM