A lawmaker is pushing for the passage of a bill seeking to revitalize the local salt industry by creating an inter-agency body to be called ASInDeRO, or Administration for Salt Industry Development, Revitalization and Optimization.
In House Bill 1976, Kabayan partylist Rep. Ron Salo said he filed the measure to revive the “dying” local salt industry and at the same time prevent the country’s dependence on imported salt.
Salo said in a statement over the weekend that the bill will create a comprehensive plan for the development of the local salt industry and the grant of incentives to salt farmers and exporters.
To ensure the successful implementation of the law, he said an inter-agency body to be called ASInDeRO shall be established. It shall be co-headed by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry, with members from Executive agencies concerned, and shall engage with relevant industry stakeholders.
When passed into law, Salo said the measure not only aims to revitalize the local salt industry, but it also seeks to attain increased income for salt farmers and salt producers, allowing the country to achieve salt self-sufficiency and become a net exporter of salt.
“The Philippines used to be salt self-sufficient. Today, it is a huge importer of salt. Import is estimated at around 550,000 metric tons of salt every year which constitutes around 93 percent of the country’s salt requirement. This is ironic considering that the Philippines has 36,000 kilometers of shoreline—the fifth longest shoreline in the world—which can be utilized for massive salt production,” Salo said.
“Thus, unless the government undertakes immediate steps to address this sad state of the salt industry, the Philippines will soon be completely dependent on imported salt.”
The lawmaker said the proposed legislative measure employs a whole-of-nation, whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach as it seeks to revitalize the salt industry.
He said it also acknowledges the indispensable role of the private sector, but ensures that the government takes the lead in developing the industry. It clearly outlines the specific role of various departments and agencies of the government toward salt self-sufficiency and mandates the provision of necessary funding.
The bill also tasks the government to provide technical, physical and financial assistance to salt farmers, including artisanal salt farmers, to develop and improve their craft. It also mandates the government to invest in the identification and construction of salt farms for lease to qualified salt farmers, whether individuals, associations, cooperatives or corporations.
The measure seeks to promote indigenous salt-making technology, just as it seeks to harness current technological advances in salt-making.
It also protects artisanal salt farmers by providing avenues where they will be able to market their products, including un-iodized salt.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes