Farmers and producers who depend on the moribund local salt-making industry may soon have access to necessary funding and technical support, according to a lawmaker.
The Senate approved on third and final reading by a 22-0 vote Senate Bill 2243, which aims to make this industry competitive again in the local and international markets and help create more jobs in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors. Following the measure’s approval in both chambers, he said the next step for lawmakers is to hammer out at the bicameral conference committee level a consolidated bill, which, upon ratification by both the Senate and the House, shall be submitted to the Palace for President Marcos’ approval and enactment into law.
“With an archipelagic nation like the Philippines ironically importing over 90 percent of its annual salt requirement, the main task of the PSIDC is to draw up a short-, medium-, and long-term roadmap to expand land area devoted to the production of this agricultural product, boost farm productivity, promote investments in this sector, institutionalize capacity-building programs for salt farmers and producers through the ATI [Agricultural Training Institute], and market overseas our Philippine...