TMO Balingoan — A Maritime Security Awareness Training (MSAT) for port employees, workers, porters and security personnel was recently conducted by TMO Balingoan at the Port Operations Building on February 5-6 2024. Separate sessions was conducted for security personnel of Advance Forces Security and Investigation Services, Inc. (AFSISI) and Commander Security Services, Inc. (CSSI), who are the existing security service providers of PPA. Meanwhile, another session was conducted for port personnel without designated security duties which includes four (4) PPA regular personnel, ten (10) COS personnel and forty (40) workers of the PCBSI-Port Terminal Services Corp., the authorized cargohandling operator of the Port of Balingoan.

The MSAT is intended to provide the knowledge required to enable personnel with and without designated security duties in connection with a Port Facility Security Plan (PFSP) to enhance port security in accordance with the requirements of the National Security Programme for Transport and Maritime Infrastructure (NSPSTMI) as promulgated by the Department of Transportation – Office for Transportation Security.

The designated Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) of PMO Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro, CCSO Zaldy Magtagad, an OTS-accredited MSAT trainer and concurrent Port Police Division Manager, served as a valuable resource on terrorism, ship, and port security level protocols, among other topics.

With the completion of the MSAT series, TMO Balingoan is optimistic of a positive turnout of the upcoming OTS Security Audit within this month.