In another major win for the Bureau of Customs, global tech giant ZTE Philippines Inc. has chosen Cebu as the landing pad for its upcoming wave of high-volume importations—a move insiders say is fueled by the sweeping reforms and zero-nonsense leadership of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno.
During a high-level courtesy visit, ZTE executives revealed that by February 2026, their operations will surge, bringing in large technology shipments through the Port of Cebu. And they made it crystal clear:
They chose Cebu because the new Customs leadership delivers what big investors demand—speed, predictability, and integrity.
NEPOMUCENO’S REFORMS ARE CLEAR: NO GAMES. NO DELAYS. NO CORRUPTION.
From Manila to Cebu, Comm. Nepomuceno’s “clean ports, fast lanes, strict borders” directive has been reshaping Customs into something rare in government—a place where rules are followed, and business actually moves.
And smart industry players are taking notice.
ZTE’s Cebu pivot is being seen as one of the strongest endorsements yet of Nepomuceno’s reform agenda:
When Customs is clean, investors come in. When Customs is corrupt, investors run.
LUMONTAD’S CEBU PORT: DISCIPLINED, EFFICIENT, FEARED BY SMUGGLERS
At the frontline of this momentum is District Collector Alexandra Y. Lumontad, the no-nonsense port chief who has turned Cebu into one of the most efficient, secure, and investor-friendly ports in the country.
ZTE officials praised the port’s speed and coordination—an operational culture Lumontad has shaped with an iron hand and a reformist spirit.
Collector Lumontad welcomed the upcoming surge with confidence.
“ZTE’s expansion shows Cebu is now a prime logistics and technology hub,” she said.
“The Port of Cebu is ready—transparent, timely, and secure. We support legitimate trade, period.”
A PORT TRANSFORMED: FROM REGULAR GATEWAY TO TECH POWERHOUSE
With ZTE’s arrival, Cebu is now positioning itself as a national center for tech importations, backed by:
•faster clearance processes
•strict border security
•predictable rules
•and leadership that refuses to tolerate smuggling or shortcuts
Industry watchers say Cebu’s rise is the direct result of a leadership tandem that is difficult to ignore:
Nepomuceno is setting the uncompromising national standard, and Lumontad is executing it with precision on the ground.
THE NEW CUSTOMS PLAYBOOK: CLEAN, MODERN, AND UNAFRAID
As 2026 approaches, the message is loud and impossible to miss:
Under Nepomuceno and Lumontad, Cebu is no longer just a port—it’s a powerhouse.
And big players like ZTE want in.
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