PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law a measure that aims to strengthen and revitalize the salt industry in the country.

Marcos signed into law Republic Act 11985, or the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, on March 11, 2024, as part of the administration’s efforts to promote rural development and increase rural income.

Under the law, appropriate technology and research, and adequate financial, production, marketing and other support services will be provided to salt farmers to revitalize the salt industry, attain increased production, achieve salt-sufficiency, and make the country become next exporter of salt.

It mandates the establishment of a Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap to ensure the attainment of the objectives of the law, in line with the objectives and continued implementation of Republic Act 8172, or “An Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide (Asin).”

A “Salt Council” will also be created to ensure the unified and integrated implementation of the salt roadmap and accelerate the modernization and industrialization of the Philippine salt industry chaired by the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and its attached agencies, including the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), were also tasked to identify priority areas for salt production particularly in Ilocos province, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Quezon, Misamis Oriental and Antique for the allocation of public funds. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)