“But it’s a bonsai industry. We try to cut it with so many self-imposed regulations. As an extremely low-margin business, the salt sector has been stunted by regulation,” Salceda said.
“We can keep the requirement that food manufacturers have to use iodized salt. We can require iodization in all school canteens. But we should offer people the choice over their nutrition, not require everybody at the expense of our domestic salt sector,” Salceda, also chairman of the House ways and means committee, added.
According to Salceda, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources should simply create a list of areas where salt making could be viable without any significant environmental restrictions. “That list of suitable locations, mind you, is required of the DENR under the ASIN law, or RA 8172,” Salceda added.