Villar thanks PBBM for giving 'new life' to the salt industry

The dying salt industry will finally breathe new life after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law Republic Act No 11985 (An Act Strengthening and Revitalizing the Salt Industry in the Philippines, Appropriating Funds Thereof), said Senator Cynthia A. Villar. The senator, principal sponsor of the bill, said this is a "welcome development" and "we thank President Marcos" for this opportunity and huge help to revive the country's salt industry. She said this is also a 'prayer heard' for the sector's workers and stakeholders who have been appealing to revitalize the salt industry. Furthermore, she said all coastal communities will be able to again produce salt.

The Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food noted the law will address the expansion of the current salt farms concentrated in Pangasinan and Mindoro. "The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and BFAR are mandated to map out, identify, and designate public lands, including portions of municipal waters, as salt production areas within 60 days from the passage of this Act," said Villar. "Public land for salt production shall also be leased for a 25-year period, renewable for another 25 years, for use as salt farms. For this purpose, BFAR shall issue the Salt Production Tenurial Instrument where cooperatives and associations of subsistence and small producers and farmers shall be given preferential treatment," she added.

According to Villar, we need to meet the growing demand of Filipino household and the additional annual demand for 300,000 metric tons of salt as coconut fertilizer under the 2021 Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act. She lamented that our salt production accounts for only 16.782 percent or 114,000 metric tons of the 683,000 metric tons annual demand.

Under the newly- signed law, a Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap shall be formulated to include programs, projects, and interventions for the development and management, research, processing, utilization, modernization, and commercialization of Philippine salt.

It shall also create the 16-member Philippine Salt Industry Development Council, headed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary. "The Salt Industry Development Council, is tasked to ensure the unified and integrated implementation of the salt roadmap," the senator said.

Villar related that tariffs to be collected from imported salt will also be plowed back to the industry with the creation of the Salt Industry Development and Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (SIDCEF). "For 10 years, the SIDCEF shall be earmarked for the: (1) provision of machinery and equipment, including sea water pumps, salt graders, salt harvesters, dump trucks and bagging machines, and salt iodization machines for beneficiaries who are into salt iodization; 50 percent; (2) establishment of salt farm warehouses/storage areas; 40 percent; (3) conduct of extension services; 5 percent; and (4) development of modern salt production and processing technology; 5 percent."

The new law, Villar said, also provides that the iodization of salt that is not intended for human consumption or local food production, as well as artisanal salt, shall be rendered optional in the country. Importers, traders, and distributors of imported food-grade salt that will undertake fortification shall comply with the iodization standards set by the Department of Health.

Villar, pinasalamatan si PBBM sa bagong buhay ng 'salt industry'

Nagkaroon ng bagong buhay ang naghihingalong salt industry nang lagdaan ni President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang Republic Act No 11985 (An Act Strengthening and Revitalizing the Salt Industry in the Philippines, Appropriating Funds Thereof," pahayag ni Senator Cynthia A. Villar.

Ayon sa senador, principal sponsor ng bill, isa itong "welcome development"at "we thank PresidentMarcos"sa malaking tulong na ito upang muling buhayin ang naghihingalong salt industryng bansa.

Aniya, isa rin itong 'prayer heard' para sa mga manggagawa at stakeholders ng sektor na umaapela sa pagbuhay sa industriya.

Ipinahayag din niya na muling makagagawa ng asin ang mga naninirahan sa coastal communities.

Ipinunto ng Chairperson ng Committee on Agriculture and Food na matutugunan ng batas ang pagpapalawak sa kasalukuyang

salt farms o asinan na nakatuon lamang sa Pangasinan at Mindoro.

"The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and BFAR are mandated to map out, identify, and designate public lands, including portions of municipal waters, as salt production areas within 60 days from the passage of this Act," ani Villar.

"Public land for salt production shall also be leased for a 25-year period, renewable for another 25 years, for use as salt farms. For this purpose, BFAR shall issue the Salt Production Tenurial Instrument where cooperatives and associations of subsistence and small producers and farmers shall be given preferential treatment," dagdag pa niya.

Sinabi ni Villar na kailangan nating matugunan ang tumataas na demand ng Filipino household at ang karagdagang taunang demand na 300,000 metric tons ng asin bilang coconut fertilizer sa ilalim ng 2021 Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act.

Dismayado nanan si Villar na ang ating salt production ay 16.782 percent o 114,000 metric tons ng 683,000 metric tons sa annual demand.

Sa ilalim ng bagong batas, gagawa tayo ng Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap na kabibilangan ng mga programa, proyekto at interventions sa development at management, research, processing, utilization, modernization, at commercialization ng Philippine salt.

Bubuo rin ng 16-member Philippine Salt Industry Development Council na pamumunuan ng Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary.

Ibibigay sa salt industry ang makokolektang taripa mula sa imported salt sa pagbuo ng Salt Industry Development and Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (SIDCEF).

"For 10 years, the SIDCEF shall be earmarked for the: (1) provision of machinery and equipment, including sea water pumps, salt graders, salt harvesters, dump trucks and bagging machines, and salt iodization machines for beneficiaries who are into salt iodization; 50 percent; (2) establishment of salt farm warehouses/storage areas; 40 percent; (3) conduct of extension services; 5 percent; and (4) development of modern salt production and processing technology; 5 percent."

Sa ilalim din ng bagong batas, tinukoy ni Villar na nagiging optional na lamang ang

iodization ng asin na hindi 'for human consumption' o local food production gayundin ang

artisanal salt.

Kailangang tumupad sa iodization standards ng Department of Health ang importers,

traders at distributors ng imported food-grade salt na isasailalim sa fortification.

"It also seeks the creation of a Philippine Salt Industry Development Council, which will be tasked to ensure the unified and integrated implementation of the salt roadmap," sabi rin ng senador.