In a press release, she emphasized that being an archipelagic country, the possibilities of the salt industry for the Philippines' overall economic performance are endless, but Legarda noted the dwindling of the sector which is “on the brink of extinction.”

"Salt is not just an important food commodity for us all. The industry has been an integral part of the Philippine economy because it sustains many Filipinos through countless employment opportunities that continue to shape communities,” she said.

Over the past years, Legarda reported that the country imports around 550,000 metric tons of salt, equivalent to 93% of the nation's salt requirement.

According to the Philippine Association of Salt Industry Networks (PhilAsin), these numbers are expected to increase in the coming years because of the rapidly growing population.

Antique, known to be Legarda's home province, is an ideal site for natural salt production, being situated along the sea coast.

The industry further developed with the help of the Shared Services Facility of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through Republic Act No. 9501 or the Magna Carta for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), principally sponsored and authored by Legarda.

The four-term senator emphasized the provision of substantial and attractive incentives to investors, which can also help reduce the country's dependence on importation.

Likewise, this also aims to boost local salt production and the salt industry in the province generally, which was significantly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.