Bernie Anabo Jr.
CDO PORT — BIGGER BERTHS. MORE EQUIPMENT. FASTER CARGO. STRONGER TRADE.
If Northern Mindanao wants to play in the big league of international trade, its ports cannot afford to think small.
And at the heart of that push is Bureau of Customs Collection District X District Collector Arnaldo “Arnie” Saulong.
Saulong’s recent inspection of the Mindanao International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (MICTSI) facility inside the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, sends a clear message:
CDO Port is not standing still.
The August 25 on-site tour, conducted with MCT Subport Collector Engr. Elvin Maurice R. Mackay, was more than a routine visit.
It was a look at where Northern Mindanao’s trade infrastructure is heading—and whether the port system is ready for the bigger volume of commerce knocking at its doors.
And Saulong appears ready to push the accelerator.
NO ROOM FOR PORTS TO SLEEP!
MICTSI’s continuing berth expansion and acquisition of additional equipment could significantly strengthen the terminal’s ability to handle growing international trade.
Among the developments highlighted during the visit are 261 plug-in generators for reefer containers, serving both import and export shipments, with another 180 plugs planned for next year.
That is not just an equipment story.
That is a capacity story.
That is a competitiveness story.
And ultimately, that is an economic growth story for Northern Mindanao.
Because every improvement in cargo handling means one thing: greater capacity to move legitimate trade.
Saulong understands the equation.
Better facilities + faster processing + stronger coordination = a more competitive gateway.
ARNIE SAULONG IS LOOKING BEYOND THE CUSTOMS GATE
What makes the CDO Port leadership worth watching is the bigger picture.
Customs is not merely about collecting duties and taxes.
It is also about making sure legitimate business can move.
It is about keeping cargo flowing.
It is about helping investors see Northern Mindanao not as a secondary destination—but as a serious regional gateway for global commerce.
That is precisely why the continuing modernization of MICTSI matters.
And Saulong is putting himself right in the middle of that conversation.
He expressed optimism over the terminal’s expansion and additional equipment, recognizing that stronger infrastructure will help the port accommodate increasing trade activity.
That is the kind of thinking a growing trade gateway needs.
CDO PORT: READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL?
Here is the bigger challenge.
Northern Mindanao cannot afford infrastructure that grows slower than its economy.
If trade expands, ports must expand.
If cargo volumes increase, equipment must keep pace.
If investors are looking for reliable logistics gateways, government and private terminal operators must deliver.
There can be no “pwede na” mentality.
No “okay na ’yan” attitude.
No resting on yesterday’s accomplishments.
The competition among ports is real—and the race is already underway.
This is where Saulong’s engagement with the private sector becomes important.
The Bureau of Customs and terminal operators must remain on the same page: improve operations, remove unnecessary bottlenecks, facilitate legitimate trade and maintain strict enforcement against illegal activities.
That balance is critical.
Fast does not mean careless.
Efficient does not mean weak enforcement.
And modernization does not mean compromising accountability.
It means doing all three better.
ARNIE’S MESSAGE: MOVE FORWARD!
The visit also fits squarely into Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno’s Integrity, Accountability, and Modernization (IAM) Movement.
The direction is unmistakable:
Modernize. Coordinate. Improve. Deliver.
And for CDO Port, Saulong is being asked to translate that direction into actual port performance.
Northern Mindanao has the location.
It has the industrial base.
It has the trade potential.
What it needs is a port system capable of matching that potential.
That is where MICTSI’s investments—and Customs’ operational leadership—become crucial.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Let’s be blunt.
A world-class trade gateway cannot be built with outdated thinking.
It needs infrastructure.
It needs equipment.
It needs technology.
It needs competent people.
And above all, it needs leadership willing to confront operational challenges instead of simply watching them from the sidelines.
That is why Arnaldo “Arnie” Saulong deserves the spotlight.
His engagement with MICTSI shows that the CDO Port leadership is looking beyond the customs house and into the entire trade ecosystem.
Because the mission is bigger than collection figures.
It is about making Northern Mindanao a stronger gateway to the world.
The message from CDO Port should therefore be loud and unmistakable:
BRING IN THE INVESTMENTS. EXPAND
nakasa ko na pala yung isa kanina yugn tatlong photo nakalmutan ko angl links ipadala at nalagyan ko na yung photo kay Libutan
THE CAPACITY. SPEED UP LEGITIMATE TRADE. STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT. AND KEEP NORTHERN MINDANAO MOVING!
For Arnie Saulong, there is no room for slow motion.
CDO PORT HAS A BIGGER ROLE TO PLAY—and the next chapter is already being written.
