The Department of the Interior and Local Government – National Capital Region (DILG-NCR), through the Manila Bay Cleanup, Rehabilitation and Preservation Program – Project Management Team (MBCRPP-PMT), successfully conducted the Regional Validation Team (RVT) Convening for the Fisheries Compliance Audit (FishCA) on March 16, 2026, and the Regional Inter-Agency Committee (RIAC) Convening for the MBCRPP Local Government Units Compliance Assessment (LGU-CA) on March 17, 2026, at Privato Hotel, Quezon City.

The two-day activity aimed to orient participants on the assessment tools, guidelines, and validation procedures for the 2026 audit cycle, while aligning timelines, implementation arrangements, and addressing potential operational concerns to ensure efficient field implementation.

The RVT Convening gathered representatives from NAMRIA, DENR-NCR, DA-BFAR-NCR, and the PNP Maritime Group. The activity was formally opened by DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III. In her opening remarks, she highlighted the strong performance of NCR LGUs in the 2025 Fisheries Compliance Audit for P.Y. 2024. She noted that the City of Las Piñas achieved a perfect score of 100% in the Regional Tool, qualifying for National Validation, while the Cities of Navotas and Parañaque each garnered 96.67%, reflecting a high level of compliance among coastal LGUs in the region.

Meanwhile, the RIAC Convening brought together key partner-agencies, including DENR-NCR, DENR-EMB-NCR, DPWH-NCR, DOH-MMCHD, MWSS, MMDA, DHSUD-NCR, NHA North, South, East, and West, Maynilad Water Services, Inc., and Manila Water Company, Inc.

DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO IV, emphasized that inter-agency efforts under the Manila Bay Mandamus have led to notable gains, with eleven (11) Highly Compliant and six (6) Moderately Compliant LGUs recorded in the 2025 LGU-CA for P.Y. 2024.

In closing, LGMED Assistant Division Chief Marlon Clyde Camilon emphasized that strengthened collaboration among agencies continues to drive measurable progress in environmental compliance and the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

The DILG-NCR remains committed to sustaining inter-agency cooperation and supporting LGUs toward achieving higher compliance in the continuing effort to protect and restore Manila Bay.