AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee on Tuesday hailed the passage of a measure to revive the country’s salt industry, one that is expected to provide more jobs in rural areas and increase local production to end the country’s dependence on salt importation.
Lee, one of the principal authors of House Bill No. 8278 or the “Philippine Salt Industry Development Act,” said the passage of the measure on third and final reading by the House of Representatives “has the potential to create 3,000 to 5,000 jobs that our rural and agricultural communities desperately need.”
Philippine Association of Salt Industry Networks (PhilASIN) President Gerard Khonghun earlier warned that if the local industry will not be revitalized, 96% of the country’s salt requirements may be imported by 2030.
According to the lawmaker from Bicol: “With more government support and investments, we can establish an industry that supplies 100% of our needs and gives us the capacity to become a net exporter of salt.”
“Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa House leadership sa pagsuporta sa panukala nating ito at sa pagsama nito bilang priority measure ng Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. Umaasa tayo sa agarang pagsasabatas nito sa lalong madaling panahon para pasiglahin ang industriya ng asin”, Lee said.
Philippine Association of Salt Industry Networks (PhilASIN) President Gerard Khonghun earlier warned that if the local industry will not be revitalized, 96% of the country’s salt requirements may be imported by 2030.
Under HB 8278, a Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap will be established to enhance salt production through research and development innovation, training programs, expansion of salt-producing areas, incentives to investments, formation of salt farmers and salt producers’ cooperatives, and strengthening market linkage and promotion of local salt, among others.
To ensure implementation of the said roadmap, the Philippine Salt Industry Development Council (PSIDC) to be led by the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Trade Industry (DTI) will be created.
One of the key features of the said bill is the exemption of domestically-produced salt from mandatory iodization, as various agencies such as the DTI, Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will develop and sustain programs that will incentivize local salt producers to iodize the salt that they manufacture for human and animal consumption.
Lee, one of the principal authors of House Bill No. 8278 or the “Philippine Salt Industry Development Act,” said the passage of the measure on third and final reading by the House of Representatives “has the potential to create 3,000 to 5,000 jobs that our rural and agricultural communities desperately need.”
“Matagal nang hindi nabigyan ng pansin at napagkaitan ng pagkakataon na lumago ang industriya ng asin, kung saan dumating na sa punto na kung mag-import tayo ay para bang hindi tayo isang arkipelagong bansa na napapalibutan ng dagat,” Lee pointed out.
“Sa pagtutok sa industriya, lilikha tayo ng libo-libong trabaho at mapapagaan ang pasanin ng mga salt farmers, salt producers at ng kanilang pamilya. Aambag ito sa pag-unlad ng ekonomiya na magbubunga naman ng mga serbisyo sa mga Pilipino. Kapag natupad ito, Winner Tayo Lahat,” the legislator added.
The PSIDC shall promote and support available non-traditional alternative methods and techniques of salt farming that allow year-round production of salt even under erratic weather patterns. The introduction of new technology shall be spearheaded by the DA-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) in close coordination with the DOST.
The budget for the initial implementation of this measure shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the departments and agencies concerned. Thereafter, the needed funding shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
