With a strong commitment to sustainable coastal governance, the Municipality of Samal and the City of Balanga completed the 2025 Fisheries Compliance Audit (FishCA) On-Site Regional Validation held on May 8, 2025.

Following the online pre-assessment conducted via Zoom for all coastal LGUs in the province, Samal and Balanga emerged as top performers in their respective categories—municipal and city. The FishCA serves as an important tool to assess how well LGUs are implementing the Philippine Fisheries Code and related policies on sustainable fisheries management and coastal resource protection.

 

The Regional Validation Team, composed of representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), visited both LGUs to review documents, verify compliance with key FishCA indicators, and hold discussions with local officials, stakeholders, and enforcement teams.

Joining the validation activities was the DILG Bataan Provincial Office, led by Provincial Director Belina T. Herman, CESO V, together with LGOO VI Mildred Sazon, LGOO VI Haidee Balicolon, and ADA IV Rhejean Calbone.

The results of the regional validation will determine which LGUs from Region III will move forward to the national level. With their strong commitment to coastal governance, Samal and Balanga are well-positioned to represent not only Bataan, but the entire region.