The National Sectoral Committee (NSC) on Fisheries and Aquaculture鈥揝ub-Committee on Salt adopted key recommendations supporting the continued implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11985, or the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, during its first semester meeting on June 2, 2026.
Among the resolutions adopted was a recommendation to approve the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) proposed FY 2027 Tier 2 budget, which pertains to additional funding for new and expanded programs beyond the agency鈥檚 regular allocation. This budget seeks to support salt industry development through expanding salt production regions, establishing training, research, marketing, and post-harvest facilities, empowering stakeholders, and harmonizing legal and regulatory requirements.
Supporting the recommendation, Dr. Hannibal Chavez, head of BFAR’s National Salt Program Management Office, reported on ongoing initiatives under the law. These include regulatory reforms allowing salt production within Fishpond Lease Agreement areas alongside fishpond operations and aquasilviculture. He added that the amendments also streamlined application requirements while ensuring compliance with existing land classifications and regulations.
The Committee also reviewed updates on other initiatives supporting RA 11985 implementation, including organizational development activities for salt producers, efforts to identify lands suitable for salt production, regulatory measures on the Salt Production Tenurial Instrument, salt registration and importation, and the implementation of tax exemption provisions for the industry.
Meanwhile, the Committee reviewed progress on Policy Resolution No. 26, Series of 2025, which recommended reclassifying salt production under the Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC).
Emerson Aquino of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that consultations with stakeholders and government agencies highlighted the need to consider the entire salt value chain in official statistics. He added that the revised PSIC, approved by the PSA Board in May 2026, strengthens the coverage of salt-related economic activities and introduces five (5) new subclasses for salt-related activities.
Aquino also shared plans to establish a technical working group to further develop a Salt Industry Classification Framework and continue consultations with government agencies and industry stakeholders.
The Committee agreed that the proposed body may also address the classification of agricultural applications of salt, including Agricultural Grade Salt Fertilizer, as well as the integration of sex-disaggregated data and other gender mainstreaming initiatives in the development of the framework. | Joy Camille Luza
