If anyone still doubts that the Bureau of Customs is tightening its grip on border security, the latest scene at the Port of Cebu should settle the debate: the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) flew in—yes, flew in—to personally engage with one of the country’s fastest-rising ports.
And leading the charge?
A powerhouse tandem: BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno and Cebu District Collector Alexandra Y. Lumontad.
This wasn’t just a courtesy call. It was a confidence check, a validation, and a loud international nod that the Port of Cebu is becoming a model for serious, modern border enforcement.
UNODC DOESN’T VISIT JUST ANY PORT
Let’s be clear:
UNODC doesn’t waste time on weak, disorganized, or low-performing ports. Their Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP) demands high standards and high integrity.
So when their representatives walked through Cebu’s gates, it was a subtle announcement that the port is punching at a global weight class—thanks to disciplined reforms pushed from the very top by Commissioner Nepomuceno and executed on the ground by Collector Lumontad.
LUMONTAD: THE STEADY HAND AT CEBU’S FRONTLINE
District Collector Alexandra Y. Lumontad greeted the UNODC delegates with both diplomacy and confidence—because she knows the port’s improvements speak for themselves.
Her message was simple but strong:
“The Port of Cebu is leveling up—through global best practices, stronger systems, and zero-compromise border protection.”
Behind the calm delivery lies a hard truth:
Lumontad has transformed Cebu into a port where risk management isn’t a buzzword—it’s a daily discipline. High-risk cargo screening is sharper. Procedures are tighter. Smugglers have far fewer shadows to hide in.
NEPOMUCENO’S NATIONAL PUSH: SECURITY WITH TEETH
Every reform happening at Cebu traces back to one source—
Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno is the no-nonsense enforcement strategist currently redefining how Customs protects the country’s borders.
Nepomuceno’s directive is crystal clear:
Secure borders. Clean processes. Smart enforcement.
And Cebu is turning that directive into real-world results. His leadership has forced ports nationwide to modernize, professionalize, and operate at a level that international partners like UNODC now recognize.
A PORT THAT DOESN’T JUST COLLECT—IT PROTECTS
Most ports brag about revenue collection. Cebu goes further.
Under Nepomuceno’s national mandate and Lumontad’s local command, the port now balances:
•Lawful revenue collection
•Efficient trade facilitation
•Aggressive border protection
This three-pillar formula is precisely what global agencies seek—and exactly why UNODC is expanding its cooperation with Cebu.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The UN doesn’t hand out compliments lightly.
Their visit is a stamp of approval on the BOC’s ongoing transformation—and a direct endorsement of the leadership steering it.
Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno is reshaping Customs into a sharper, more disciplined institution.
Collector Alexandra Lumontad is proving that Cebu is no longer just a busy port—it is a secure, world-standard gateway.
Together, they are raising the bar for every port in the Philippines.
This is what modern border enforcement looks like—
hard, fast, smart, and globally aligned.
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