AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee pushed for the immediate passage of a measure that seeks to revitalize the salt industry in order to create jobs and to increase the income of salt farmers and salt producers.
Lee, one of the authors of House Bill No. 8278 or the “Philippine Salt Industry Development Act,” welcomed the approval of the said measure on 2nd reading by the House of Representatives, and said the billl “is expected to envigorate our salt industry and create 3,000 to 5,000 jobs for our countrymen, especially in rural areas, where they’re needed most.”
According to the legislator, “panahon na para tuldukan ang matagal nang kalbaryo ng ating mga salt farmers at salt producers.”
“Hindi tama na nag-iimport pa tayo ng 93% ng pangangailangan natin sa asin at napag-iiwanan ang ating salt industry, bilang arkipelagong bansa na isa sa may pinakamahabang shoreline sa mundo.”
The lawmaker from Bicol 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.
“Sa pagbangon ng industriya ng asin, tataas ang kalidad ng buhay ng marami nating kababayan na mapagbubuksan ng oportunidad na magkatrabaho at madagdagan ang kita, na aambag naman sa paglago ng ekonomiya kung saan Winner Tayo Lahat,” Lee said.
During the plenary session, one of the proposed amendments that Lee introduced in HB 8278 was the creation of the Salt Industry Development and Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or SIDCEF.
Under the measure, 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.
The funding necessary for the initial implementation of the measure shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the departments and agencies concerned. Thereafter, its budget shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
