MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 11985, or the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act which seeks to provide adequate support to salt farmers to boost and strengthen the country’s salt industry.
In a statement on Sunday, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Republic Act No. 11985 covers the technology, research, financial, production, marketing, and other support services of salt farmers, which will help the industry attain increased production and salt-sufficiency.
“It is further the policy of the State to preserve, protect, and rehabilitate the natural environment in the actualization of its developmental policies,” the law reads.
Under RA No. 11985, PCO said a “Philippine Salt Industry Development Roadmap will be formulated and established to ensure the attainment of the objectives of the law, which are aligned with the objectives and continued implementation of Republic Act No. 8172, also known as An Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide.”
A “salt council” will also be created to ensure the implementation of the salt roadmap and the modernization, as well as the industrialization of the Philippine salt industry headed by the Department of Agriculture.
The council will also be led by the secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry as vice-chairperson, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will choose representatives from cooperatives — five nominees from Luzon, three from the Visayas and Mindanao.
“The law will take effect 15 days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or two newspapers of general circulation,” PCO said.