ULAP National Executive Meeting and Side Event on LGUs Steering SEAWARD (Local Government Units Steering towards Sustainable and Equitable Administration of Waters, Aquatic Resources, and Development) (Invitation Only)
Brief Description:
On 9 June 2025, the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), inpartnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG),will convene the high-level pre-event session “LGUs Steering SEAWARD (LocalGovernment Units Steering towards Sustainable and Equitable Administration ofWaters, Aquatic Resources, and Development)”. This session forms part of thelead-in to the 2025 UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau Meeting, providing a criticalplatform for Philippine local government units to exhibit their leadership incoastal governance.
Held at the Crimson Resort & Spa in Boracay, the session will gather around100 participants, including local chief executives, representatives of LGUleagues, DILG officials, national government agencies (e.g., DENR, BFAR), andother key stakeholders. The agenda will center on strategic dialogues onintegrated coastal management, sustainable fisheries, and blue economydevelopment. A central focus will be the implications of the Supreme Court’sruling in Mercidar Fishing Corporation v. Philippine Government (G.R. No.270929), which redefined municipal waters as part of the State’s nationalpatrimony—altering the governance terrain for LGUs and raising criticalconcerns regarding local authority, small-scale fisherfolk rights, andequitable marine resource access.
The pre-event will also initiate the consensus-building process for a landmarkpolicy position that will articulate the collective stance of Philippine LGUson marine and coastal governance. This declaration is envisioned as both anational advocacy tool and a contribution to regional policy discourse underthe UCLG ASPAC framework.
