Pangasinan boosts tourism, health

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — In line with the goal of boosting its services and encourage economic activity and tourism, the provincial government of Pangasinan has forged a pact with various national government agencies and local government units in the region.

The most recent convergence the province has made was the memorandum of agreement signed with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the interim management of the foreshore area for salt production.

The Pangasinan Provincial Information

Office said the salt production sharing agreement aims to provide continuity of operations to the salt industry, gives security of tenure to the more or less 400 displaced salt workers within the aforemen tioned area with necessary services, technology, and financing to be furnished by the local government unit of Bolinao town.

The salt farm area for the project is about 473.88 hectares of foreshore land situated in Barangay Zaragoza, Bolinao.

“It serves as an avenue to prepare for the looming salt shortage at the end of the year as local production does not cover domestic demand per the previous announcement of the Department of Agriculture. The government share shall be computed based on a formula per DENR Administrative Order No. 98-67, otherwise known as “Guidelines for the Identification and Award of Areas Suitable of Salt Production,” it added.

Governor Ramon Guico III said that the project supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s mandate for food sustainability in the country as the salt has many uses and its industry could create more jobs.