In line with its initiatives in maintaining sustainable and environment-friendly port operations, the Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro organized a Belen Making Contest with the theme “Pasko ng Pamilyang Pilipino – #GreenPort, #HealthyPilipinas”, as part of its activities for the Year-end Assessment and Thanksgiving held on 17 December 2021.

A total of 14 entries were submitted by all the divisions and units of PMO MO/C, including the Terminal Management Offices of Opol, Balingoan, and Camiguin.  Participants were instructed to create a replica of the nativity scene from the Bible using locally available materials such as indigenous woven textile, dried leaves, and bamboo sticks among others.  The highlight of this activity was the creativity of the divisions and port terminals and their ability to strategically craft their Belen in relation to the theme. All the participants used similar materials such as abaca, guinith, and landay, but differed in how they conceptualized the artistry of their entries.

The organizers invited Architect Maria Linda Escaba, a member of the United Architects of the Philippines with a Masters’ degree in Architecture, as the judge for the contest on December 15, 2021. The entries were critiqued based on their craftsmanship, overall appearance, and relevance to the theme. The Port Terminals of Balingoan, Opol, and Camiguin were judged via Zoom videoconference, with the Terminal Managers presenting the concepts for their entries.

Winners for the contest were announced during the virtual Year-end Assessment, with TMO Opol awarded as the first place and the Port Services Division (Building 1) and Office of the Port Manager in second and third place, respectively.