The Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro welcomed the delegates from PMO Lanao del Norte/Iligan (PMO LNI) and Zamboanga (PMO ZBA) on 14 and 28 January 2020, respectively, who conducted a benchmarking of good practices, initiatives, and programs being implemented at the Port of Cagayan de Oro.

Personnel of the Port Police Division of PMO LNI together with their new Acting Port Manager, Medardo I. Sosobrado, Jr. visited first the CDO Port on 14 January 2020, where they took note of MO/C’s initiatives to tighten and enhance security measures at the ports. The PMO LNI Port Police and force multipliers viewed the video productions of the PMO’s Simulation Exercises (SimEx), various security drills, and other related presentations. The conduct of SimEx is annually conducted together with various concerned security agencies. The exercises include bomb threats/explosion, seajacking, fire at sea, high-risk boarding, search and rescue operations, oil spill, hostage-taking, medical response, and incident command, among others. A Command Center (ComCen) was also established, which serves as the central communication hub within the port, that aids in tracking, monitoring and facilitating port operations, security and related concerns.

The CDO Port is an International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code-compliant Port, with which the PMO MO/C is recertified for five (5) years security statement of port compliance.

On the other hand, the PMO Zamboanga benchmarked MOC’s practices in finance, marine/dock operations, security, environment and automation systems, among others. As one of the APEC Port Services Network Green Port Award System (APSN-GPAS) winners in 2018 for the CDO Port, MO/C highlighted its initiatives, programs, and activities for environmental protection and conservation which may also be adopted by other PMOs.

The delegates then proceeded to a port tour, including a brief visit to the Port’s new Passenger Terminal Building.

The benchmarking activities served as a venue for two-way knowledge sharing among PMOs, towards the common goal of improving their respective port services and facilities to give better services to the sea-going public while continually protecting the ports’ natural milieu.— by IMR Lam