Dagupan City (PIA) – Pangasinan State University (PSU) hosted the 2nd Philippine Salt Congress with the theme ‘Salt: Sustainable Actions in People’s Lives Through Technology in the Salt Industry’ on Dec. 12-13, 2024.
The event aims to revitalize the Philippine salt industry by promoting local production and advancing innovative research and technologies, building on the first congress’ push to increase research on salt production.
The Salt Congress supports Republic Act No. 11985, which strengthens and revitalizes the salt industry, and Republic Act No. 8172, which promotes iodized salt to fight iodine deficiency.
This is done by addressing salt production shortages, helping farmers and producers through government programs, promoting modern methods for sustainable production, and ensuring a stable salt supply as an essential commodity.
The two-day Salt Congress is organized in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 1, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), gathering experts and resource persons from various fields.
PSU President Elbert Galas said that the goal is to achieve 100 percent salt sufficiency, which is further supported by the school’s Accelerating Salt Research and Innovation (ASIN) Center, reaffirming the university’s commitment to promoting sustainable economic development in the salt industry through research, innovation, and capacity-building initiatives.
To further support the initiative, the PSU under the ASIN program was awarded a PHP 90 million grant from the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD).
“As we continue to collaborate with our partners in government, academia, and industry, we are committed to exploring new avenues for innovation, knowledge dissemination, and skills development within the salt-making sector,” Galas said.
Galas adds that the initiative aims to empower local salt producers, promote technological advancements, and foster a resilient and thriving salt industry in the country.
To further strengthen salt production in the province, the Provincial Government of Pangasinan is also the first and only local government unit in the country operating and managing a 473-hectare salt farm located in Barangay Zaragosa, Bolinao, Pangasinan.
The Bolinao salt farm produced 6,400 metric tons of salt in its first harvest. Nearly half of this was sold to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to fertilize coconut farms nationwide.
According to Nestor Batalla, Assistant Provincial Agriculturist, the provincial government has allocated ₱50 million to further improve and boost salt production, aiming to produce 8,000 metric tons by 2025, subject to weather condition.
“With the support of the provincial government, offices have already been established, facilities repaired, and road networks improved. A salt processing center is being planned, along with the launch of an aquaculture project and a tourism program under the provincial government,” Batalla added.
Batalla further emphasizes that the Salt Congress is timely in addressing the issues and challenges faced by the Philippine salt industry, highlighting the collective efforts of multiple agencies to sustain, revive, and strengthen salt production in the country.
PSU also builds strong collaborations with key partners across the government, academia, and industry, focusing on exploring innovative solutions, enhancing knowledge dissemination, and advancing skills development within the salt-making sector.
By empowering local salt producers through technological advancements, a resilient, sustainable, and thriving salt industry can be achieved, ultimately contributing to the Philippines’ economic growth and self-sufficiency.
The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) estimates that domestic production of salt accounts for only 16.78 percent of the country’s annual salt needs, with 83.22 percent reliant on imports.
Strengthening salt production in Pangasinan will help revive the industry, improve the livelihood of salt farmers, and unlock its potential as a vital contributor to national progress.
By promoting sustainability, innovation, and pride in local production, the salt industry can become more resilient and self-sufficient. (CCMT/RPM, PIA Pangasinan)
