Fifty years. Billions in revenue. Zero tolerance for mediocrity.

The Bureau of Customs – Port of Cagayan de Oro didn’t just celebrate a founding anniversary — it flexed five decades of power, performance, and dominance.

At the Chali Resort and Conference Center, the 10th Collection District marked its 50th Founding Anniversary like a true heavyweight in government service — battle-tested, revenue-driven, and unapologetically results-oriented.

And make no mistake: this port is not just surviving. It is THRIVING.

With a staggering ₱39.46 BILLION revenue collection for Fiscal Year 2025, the Port of Cagayan de Oro has cemented its status as one of the country’s premier revenue engines — a financial fortress fueling government programs and national development.

⸻

NEPOMUCENO’S IAM DOCTRINE: NO EXCUSES, JUST RESULTS

At the helm of this relentless momentum is BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno — a leader who has made one thing crystal clear:

Integrity is non-negotiable. Accountability is mandatory. Modernization is inevitable.

Under his IAM framework — Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization — the Bureau is shifting gears from old-school bureaucracy to sharp, disciplined, tech-driven customs enforcement.

Commissioner Nepomuceno didn’t just attend the milestone celebration — he sent a message:

Performance matters. Transparency matters. Revenue matters.

He lauded the CDO workforce for their unshakable commitment to the Bureau’s mandate, especially in revenue collection — the lifeblood of government operations. But beyond praise, the signal was strong: excellence is the standard, not the exception.

⸻

ZURBITO’S BILLION-PESO WATCH

On the ground, leading the charge in Northern Mindanao is District Collector Atty. Manuel O. Zurbito, Jr. — the man steering the port’s day-to-day battlefield of trade, tariffs, and tight compliance.

Zurbito didn’t mince words.

“As the gateway to Northern Mindanao, this port is a vital engine of economic growth,” he declared — a billionaire port powering businesses, livelihoods, and government coffers alike.

And the numbers back him up.

Oil giants and industrial heavyweights dominate the Top 10 importers — Shell, Petron, Jetti, GN Power, Nestlé, and more — while export titans like Del Monte, DOLE, Axelum, and Philippine Sinter push Mindanao’s products to the global market.

These are not small players. These are economic pillars.

And under Zurbito’s watch, compliance isn’t optional — it’s expected.

The anniversary celebration wasn’t just a ceremony. It was a scoreboard moment. A recognition of the Top 10 importers and exporters whose timely and accurate payment of duties and taxes helped drive that ₱39.46 billion haul.

⸻

50 YEARS STRONG — AND JUST GETTING STARTED

From its early days to becoming one of Mindanao’s most formidable collection districts, the Port of Cagayan de Oro has evolved into a strategic trade gateway — disciplined, decisive, and revenue-focused.

Five decades in, the message is loud and clear:

This port is not coasting on history.
It is building a legacy through performance.

With Commissioner Nepomuceno’s ironclad IAM doctrine and Collector Zurbito’s billion-peso discipline, the Port of Cagayan de Oro isn’t just marking a milestone.

It’s setting the tone for the next 50 years.

And in this game of trade, tariffs, and transformation — CDO Customs is playing to win.

Spread the news