While critics love to portray the Bureau of Customs as a hopeless case, the BOC–Port of Cagayan de Oro has just fired back—with numbers, discipline, and leadership.

As 2026 opened, the Port didn’t just raise the flag.
It raised the bar.

In its first joint flag-raising ceremony of the year, the BOC–Cagayan de Oro, under the no-nonsense leadership of District Collector Atty. Manuel O. Zurbito Jr. put the spotlight where it belongs: results and the people who delivered them.

Employees of Collection District X were awarded Certificates of Commendation—not for attendance, not for optics, but for hard performance that translated into cold, undeniable figures:

💰 ₱3,934,299,441.48 in revenues for December 2025
📈 More than 13% ABOVE target

In a bureau where excuses are often louder than outcomes, Zurbito’s district let the numbers do the talking.

LEADERSHIP THAT COLLECTS—NOT JUST PROMISES

In his message, Collector Zurbito didn’t grandstand. He credited the boots on the ground—the men and women of Collection District X, who worked the ports, enforced the rules, and ensured that lawful revenues flowed where they belonged: to the government.

From the Sub-Port of Iligan, led by Collector Nasrudin Guro, to the Mindanao Container Terminal, under Atty. Geniefelle Lagmay, and the Sub-Port of Ozamiz, headed by Collector Ernie Lacpao, Zurbito made one thing clear:

👉 This was not a one-man show. This was disciplined teamwork under firm command.

And that’s precisely the difference.

CUSTOMS THAT WORK—YES, IT EXISTS

At a time when the Bureau of Customs is once again under national scrutiny, Cagayan de Oro stands as an inconvenient truth for critics who claim reform is impossible.

Under Zurbito, the port proved that efficiency, integrity, and revenue performance can coexist—if leadership actually leads.

This success also reinforces the direction set by BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, whose push for streamlined processes and operational efficiency is paying dividends where it matters most: collection performance.

THE REAL TAKEAWAY

This wasn’t just a ceremony.
This was a statement.

While others talk reform, Zurbito’s district delivers revenue.
While others manage optics, his team beats targets.

As 2026 begins, BOC–Cagayan de Oro has sent a clear signal to the rest of the bureau—and to Malacañang:

🔥 Competence still exists in Customs.
🔥 Leadership still matters.
🔥 And when the right people are in charge, results follow.

In a season of Cabinet shake-ups and credibility crises, Atty. Manuel Zurbito Jr. just reminded everyone what real public service looks like—measured not in press releases, but in pesos collected.

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