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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon eager to see final passage of bill that will save PH salt industry

Solon eager to see final passage of bill that will save PH salt industry

Published May 26, 2023 02:38 pm
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AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee has welcomed the recent second-reading passage of the proposed Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, which seeks to address a big irony in the local salt industry. Embodied in House Bill (HB) No. 8278, the measure seeks to revitalize the salt industry in a bid to create jobs and to increase the income of salt farmers and salt producers. "Panahon na para tuldukan ang matagal nang kalbaryo ng ating mga salt farmers at salt producers (It's about time we put an end to the longtime burden of our salt farmers and salt producers)," Lee said in a statement Friday, May 26. "Hindi tama na nag-iimport pa tayo ng 93 percent ng pangangailangan natin sa asin at napag-iiwanan ang ating salt industry, bilang arkipelagong bansa na isa sa may pinakamahabang shoreline sa mundo (It's not right that we import 93 percent of our salt needs to the detriment of our salt industry, despite us living in an archipelago that has one of the longest shorelines in the world)," he said. The Philippines has over 7,600 Islands. There is a high chance that HB No. 8278 would get approved on third and final reading by the House this week, which is incidentally the final week of the first regular session of the 19th Congress. Lee revealed that if enacted into law, the measure will establish a Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap that will provide support to the industry through appropriate technology and research, training programs, incentives to investments, adequate funding, aid in production and marketing to capacitate the country to achieve salt self-sufficiency so the country can become a net exporter of salt. During a previous plenary session, Lee introduced an amendment to HB No.8278 providing for the creation of the Salt Industry Development and Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or SIDCEF. The amount allocated to SIDCEF will be released directly to the implementing agencies, provided that the unutilized portion shall not revert to the general fund but shall continue to be used for the development of the salt industry.

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