SAMAL and Balanga City in Bataan emerged as the 2021 Fisheries Compliance Audit (FishCA) Regional Level Winners from the Province of Bataan.
A report from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG ) Bataan revealed that the City of Balanga led by City Mayor Francis Garcia was adjudged as the Regional Top Performer in Central Luzon while the Municipality of Samal led by Mayor Aida Macalinao bagged the Third Place FishCA award.
The town of Sasmuan in Pampanga placed second.
FishCA is an assessment tool developed and implemented to monitor the compliance of coastal local government units (LGUs) with pertinent provisions of the Philippine Fisheries Code, which sets the responsibilities of LGUs in the management of their respective city/municipal waters.
Various LGUs in Central Luzon were assessed by the Manila Bay FishCA Regional Validation Team composed of the DILG, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).
Both LGUs will receive incentives being adjudged as regional winners.
The City of Balanga, as the region’s top performer, will also advance to the national level validation to represent Central Luzon.