Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan (Facebook)



Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is prodding the Senate to hasten the approval of its counterpart measure to the proposed Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, which is expected to create 100,000 jobs for Filipinos. Yamsuan made the call Friday, June 9 following the overwhelming approval by the House of Representatives on third and final reading on the proposed measure embodied in House Bill (HB) No.8278. The rookie solon is a principal author of the measure, which aims to create a comprehensive plan for the salt industry to increase domestic production and boost investments in this sector. Citing a statement from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Yamsuan said that crafting and implementing a roadmap for the development of the salt industry would create 20,000 direct jobs and another 80,000 indirect or related jobs in the agriculture sector. “However, we can only realize this goal if we have solid funding to help our salt farmers access the technology  and equipment  they need to boost production. This is why we are urging the Senate to swiftly act on its counterpart measure for the revival of our salt industry once Congress resumes its session next month,” Yamsuan said. A measure in Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) can only prosper if both chambers are able to pass their respective versions on third and final reading. A Bicameral Conference Committee meeting would then be held to harmonize the provisions of the two bills. The Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) has included the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act on the list of priority measures of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Yamsuan pointed out that on top of modernizing the industry, salt producers also need to expand their market linkages to be able to promote Philippine salt in both the domestic and foreign markets not only as a food flavoring, but also as a key element in various industries. “Being an archipelagic country, we have a vast shoreline that can be utilized to produce salt. Sadly, instead of harnessing this natural advantage to develop the salt industry, our salt production has drastically declined and we have been importing 93 percent of our salt requirements for the past years,” he said. Under the House-approved measure, salt--whether unprocessed or processed--is classified as a basic agricultural product with all its necessary legal and regulatory implications. It creates the Philippine Salt Industry Development Council (PSIDC), which is tasked to formulate  the  Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap. The roadmap outlines the  short, medium, and long-term development plan to accelerate the modernization and industrialization of the salt industry. Through the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the PSIDC will also put up new small-scale artisanal salt farms. The PSIDC will likewise provide development funds, technical assistance, and equipment to salt farmers and the industry, among its other functions.