Hi there, my dear readers, it’s been raining in Manila and, yes, it is getting colder, too. I guess it comes with the gloomy weather that you just want to stay home and have some soup while binge watching your favorite movies snuggled under a cozy blanket.

But this is not quite doable for ordinary working stiffs like us who need to go out, brave the strong winds and rain (even floods) to get to work. Well, that’s life for most of us. At least we can imagine.

Did you know that in the Philippines the first rain of May is pretty significant and is called “Agua de Mayo?” Yes, for so many decades rain was seen as having healing and cleansing powers in cultural and traditional beliefs. Well, I do hope that as we transition to the rainy season, we all find the peace and healing that we all need. We need to be safe from all the harm the world may bring.

Speaking of safety and the rains, sea travel can be overwhelming sometimes due to strong winds and waves. But here’s a good thing. When it comes to keeping our ports and maritime zones safe, one of the best examples of the growing mutual partnerships among government agencies is that between the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Just recently, some PPA employees were welcomed to the PCG as new members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) at a donning of ranks ceremony held at the PCG headquarters led by no other than PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan himself.

Gavan said that more than ranks, this is about the shared responsibility of guarding the maritime zones of the country by the exchange of each other’s expertise.

Among those inducted were top PPA officials, including assistant general managers Elmer Nonnatus Cadano and Mark J. Palomar, and senior executive assistant Kelvin Angeles, who all received the rank of commodore.

Also commissioned were PPA spokesperson Eunice Samonte (yours truly), HR manager Victoria Gorre, and senior executive assistant Nerissa Bernardo, each with the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

The PPA leaders being a part of the PCGA shows how seriously both agencies take their mission to protect our ports and ensure smooth, secure operations. It also speaks volumes about how inter-agency teamwork is becoming the new normal, with high officials of the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police joining in as well.

This is not the first time the PPA and PCG displayed their great cooperation. Last year if you may recall I wrote in my column about the launch by the PPA and PCG of one of their biggest projects together, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia — the PCG-PPA K-9 Training Academy in Barangay Dolores, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The academy is a state-of-the-art facility built to train elite K-9 units and their handlers for day to day operations at ports and at sea, from bomb detection to passenger safety, to anti-smuggling and search and rescue. It even has a breeding center and a clinic for the dogs — the PCG-PPA K-9 academy has it all.

PPA general manager Jay Santiago had always been adamant about creating a safe space for passengers and raising the standard of security not just at the ports but throughout the country with the expansion of the services of the K-9 units.

Indeed, the partnership between the PPA and PCG is a testament to great things happening when agencies work together.

Well, at the end of the day we are all at the same port and in the same boat as we sail the open seas. It is not how vast the waters are but it’s knowing there is a great partnership navigating the maritime zones together as one.