Bill seeks to revive dying salt industry
THE Senate approved on third and final reading a bill that will breathe new life into the dying salt industry.
With a unanimous vote, senators approved Senate Bill 2243 or the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act.
Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform and principal sponsor of SBN 2243, said passing the bill is the Senate’s response to the plea for assistance of salt industry stakeholders to revitalize their dying sector.
Under the bill, a Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap, which shall include programs, projects and interventions for the development and management, research, processing, utilization, modernization, and commercialization of Philippine salt, shall be formulated. It shall also create the 16-member Philippine Salt Industry Development Council, headed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary.
Tariffs collected on 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.
Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, before expressing his intent to become one of the bill’s co-authors, congratulated Villar and all coastal communities who will be able to produce salt again once the bill becomes a law.
For his part, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva expressed his whole-hearted support and gratitude to colleagues for prioritizing one of his pet bills in the 19th Congress.
