DENR to set areas for salt production

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has been mandated to designate public lands and municipal waters that are suitable for salt production.

The department will work with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to map out portions of public lands and municipal waters for production of salt.

This is pursuant to the Republic Act (RA) 11985, or the “Philippine Salt Industry Development Act,” signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on March 11, 2024 that aims to revitalize the country’s salt industry.

According to the DENR, priority shall be given to public lands in the provinces that were identified as suitable for salt production within 60 days from the effectivity of RA 11985. This include Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Quezon Province, Misamis Oriental, and Antique.

“Public lands located in other regions shall also be subsequently mapped out, identified and designated as potential salt production areas within six months from effectivity of the Act,” the DENR said in a statement.

The DENR shall also inform the public of the result of the mandatory mapping and provide status to the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries on the completion of the mapping, identification and designation of public lands for salt production.

It is also mandated to transfer the public areas designated as suitable for salt production under its administrative jurisdiction to the BFAR within 90 days from the effectivity of the Act.

DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones said that abandoned fish ponds will also be part of the assessment for the development of the salt industry. He also assured that municipal fisherfolk will not be affected by this move.

“Strictly speaking, the fishermen would fish in the deeper areas of the municipal waters while salt production will be done on the dry part of the coastline,” Leones said.

In February, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni”Yulo-Loyzaga visited Pangasinan and recognized the province’s initiatives to develop a 473-hectare salt farm in Barangay Zaragoza.

“This is the kind of integrated approach that is necessary to secure food, health, nutrition, and water essential to energy security,”Yulo-Loyzaga said.

In 2022, the DENR and the Province of Pangasinan signed an agreement for the management of the salt farm where the provincial government will be the “interim” manager of the foreshore area for salt production and other related activities including “bangus” (milkfish) production.