The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) hosted Her Excellency, the Ambassador of Belgium to the Philippines, Vladislava Iordanova, and her accompanying delegation during a courtesy visit at the CPA Main Office. The high-level meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exploring potential areas of cooperation in trade, logistics, and port development.
CPA General Manager Francisco C. Comendador III, alongside CPA officials, welcomed the delegation and provided a comprehensive presentation of the CPA’s corporate profile and recent port performance statistics.
A major focus of the discussion was the Port of Cebu’s strategic development plans. GM Comendador shared the ambitious project for a new international port set to be constructed and targeted for operation by 2028 in Consolacion, Cebu, which will address the region’s rapidly increasing demand for port services. He also highlighted CPA’s plan to enhance cruise ship facilities to further support the Philippines’ growing tourism sector.
Ambassador Iordanova expressed the Belgian delegation’s keen interest in collaborative opportunities between Belgium and the Port of Cebu—similar to their ongoing engagements in the Province and City of Cebu—with the objective of promoting capacity building and stronger trade relations. The discussion also covered CPA’s ongoing digitalization initiatives and the specific types of cargoes handled by the Port of Cebu.
GM Comendador assured the delegation of CPA’s commitment to maintaining efficient operations and adhering to high standards of disaster preparedness. He emphasized that regular drills are conducted and infrastructure designs comply with resiliency requirements to withstand operational and environmental challenges, ensuring service continuity despite temporary disruptions.
“We warmly welcome the prospect of this partnership and the opportunities it presents,” stated GM Comendador. “Collaboration with international partners like Belgium is vital as we prepare our comprehensive Port Masterplan for medium and long-term development.”
The visit concluded with the Ambassador and her team conducting a port tour at the Cebu International Port (CIP), Pier 4, and Berth 30, where they observed the operational procedures, including the handling of domestic RoRo vessels.
