THE largest logistics, transportation and distribution provider in the Philippines, 2GO, said it considered Cagayan de Oro as its "biggest shipping hub" in Mindanao.
According to Leah Magdamit, the senior business development manager of 2GO Group Inc., Cagayan de Oro presents an ideal foothold for 2GO to flourish in Mindanao, citing that the city is the regional center, logistics and business hub of Northern Mindanao.
2GO officials added that the city has a strategic economic advantage as it is equal distance to other metropolis in the region, which is significant for local economic growth.
Moreover, apart from being an industrial hub, cold chain requirements have increased over the years, supplying 80 percent of its hatching eggs supply to Manila and a substantial poultry and palm oil products to Visayas.
At present, 2GO is operating four times weekly voyages between Cagayan de Oro and Manila, and twice weekly service to and from Cebu.
The company also operates weekly services to Bacolod, Iloilo and Tagbilaran.
"Cagayan de Oro radiates promise as a dynamic city. A reliable logistics collaborator is integral for a burgeoning economy as it paves the way to becoming a metropolitan center," Ralph Paguio, the chairman for the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao, said.
"Our pier and airport, coupled with its strategic location, positions us as a pivotal gateway to other regional cities and the broader Mindanao. 2GO's presence holds immense potential for transformation and opportunity," he added.
Faye Alonzo-Babar, 2GO business unit head for Express and Forwarding, for her part, claimed that 2GO is the "only passenger-cargo operator from Cagayan de Oro to Manila," utilizing one of the most modern and fastest vessels in the Philippines.
"As an archipelago, it is important for traders and consumers to have a reliable supply chain schedule to optimize product shelf life. Moreover, a solid transportation and logistics partner empowers local businesses and industries to move goods and people efficiently and smoothly," Alonzo-Babar said.
On August 25, 2023, 2GO officials met with the local media and bloggers of Cagayan de Oro to present the company's various services, emphasizing services that showed 2GO as more than a travel partner.
These services include distribution solutions warehousing, containerized services, transport, value-added services, event logistics, among others.