Manila: The Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) has achieved the highest Level A, or Gold Certification, under the Universal Postal Union's (UPU) S58 and S59 security standards for its Manila Central Mail Exchange (C-MEX).
According to Philippines News Agency, PHLPost was awarded the certification during a handover ceremony that coincided with the opening of the Regional Inception Workshop on Operational Readiness and Expanded Capabilities for Global E-commerce and Trade (OER Plus), an event hosted by the Philippines. UPU Regional Office Bangkok representative Ariya Thongbai revealed that PHLPost scored 599 points in a comprehensive on-site review, surpassing the 558 points required for gold certification. For silver certification, a minimum of 434 points is needed.
Thongbai highlighted that the C-MEX had been significantly congested with undelivered parcels and backlogs from 2019 to 2022. She expressed surprise upon discovering that all the backlog she observed in April 2025 had been cleared, attributing this achievement to the employees' dedication to enhancing security compliance prior to seeking quality-of-service certifications.
The UPU's on-site evaluation took place from November 24 to 28, 2025, encompassing facility inspections, document reviews, staff interviews, and assessments of security controls and operational procedures. The evaluation team was led by UPU Security Consultant Pablo Sagastume, UPU Regional Office New Delhi Regional View Expert Dr. Gaurav Saini, and Thongbai.
The UPU's S58 and S59 standards focus on strengthening security across global postal operations in seven key areas: postal security audits, screening operations, access control, critical facilities, personnel, transportation, and international airmail. Notable practices during the evaluation included enhanced CCTV surveillance, stricter access controls, improved security signage, isolation facilities for sensitive materials, emergency preparedness, medical readiness, and a robust security culture among employees.
Governance Commission for GOCCs Commissioner Brian Keith Hosaka noted that this achievement reflects PHLPost's institutional discipline and aligns with the government's "Bagong Pilipinas" vision for a more responsive and future-ready public sector. He emphasized that when institutions prioritize discipline and accountability, it results in services that deliver real value to the people. Hosaka also mentioned that the certification would enhance cross-border trade security for micro, small, and medium enterprises while providing stronger protections for overseas Filipino workers relying on postal services. He urged PHLPost to integrate the seven areas covered by the international postal security standards into its future performance evaluation scorecards.
Postmaster General Maximo Santa Maria III accepted the certification, dedicating the recognition to the postal workers and letter carriers of the country. He acknowledged the challenging conditions faced by letter carriers in delivering mail across the Philippine archipelago, which consists of over 7,000 islands. Santa Maria highlighted that despite the difficulties, the commitment to deliver with integrity, security, and service to every Filipino remains unwavering.
