No quiet onboarding. No soft welcome.
At the Bureau of Customs – Port of Cebu, recruits don’t simply take an oath — they step straight into the frontline of revenue protection and border security.
Right after the regular Monday flag ceremony, the Port of Cebu introduced its newest additions to the customs workforce — a move that signals one thing: the port is reinforcing its operational muscle.
Among those stepping into key roles are Liquidation and Billing Division Chief (concurrent Aircraft Operations Division Chief) Alpha Grace T. Castro, Auction and Cargo Disposal Division Acting Chief Atty. Harold L. Robedizo, Acting Customs Appraiser, Suharno M. Basir, Warehouseman, and Acting Collector Officer of the Subport of Mactan, Lovely Jane C. Olita.
But this wasn’t just about introductions.
This was about accountability.
Standing firm before port personnel, District Collector Alexandra Yap-Lumontad delivered a message that left no room for complacency.
“Joining the Port of Cebu means carrying a responsibility far greater than routine office work,” Lumontad declared. “Every document processed, every action taken, and every decision made affects government revenue, legitimate trade, and the protection of our borders.”
In short: this is not a desk job — it’s a national duty.
Lumontad made it clear that positions at Cebu Customs are not ceremonial posts. They are pressure points in the country’s economic and security framework.
“We do not merely fill positions here. We uphold the integrity of the Bureau of Customs,” she emphasized, challenging the new officers to deliver courage, competence, and unwavering integrity.
Behind this intensified push for discipline and performance is the unmistakable reform drive of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, whose leadership has been reshaping the agency’s culture across the country.
Under Nepomuceno’s hardline reform agenda, ports are expected to strengthen not just systems — but the people running them. The message from the top is simple: competence, accountability, and results are non-negotiable.
At the Port of Cebu, Lumontad is translating that directive into action.
The arrival of new personnel signals a clear strategy — build a stronger, sharper, and more disciplined workforce capable of delivering revenue targets, facilitating legitimate trade, and protecting Philippine borders from illicit activities.
Because in today’s customs battlefield, every officer matters.

And under the leadership of Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno and District Collector Alexandra Yap-Lumontad, Cebu Customs is making one thing crystal clear:

The mission continues — and the standards are only getting higher.

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