Panganiban orders release of ‘idle’ P100 million from BFAR for salt production

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has P100 million which could have been used to address the shortage in the supply of salt in the country earlier in the year, Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban has said.

In the latest episode of the The Mangahas Interviews, Panganiban said the Department of Budget and Management released the funds as early as January.

“Ang asin, natural na magkulang tayo dahil kakaunti ang ating areas being utilized for the salt production. And na-discover ko sa DA na mayroong P100 million na unutilized. Malapit na magpaso, hindi ginagamit ng BFAR,” Panganiban said.

(It is natural for us to face a shortage in the supply of salt because we have limited areas being utilized for salt production. I also discovered in DA that we have P100 million in unutilized funds. It is nearing expiry but the BFAR is not using it.)

“‘Yung isang napakalaking factory sa Lingayen, Pangasinan, nagsara. Yung salt rock manufacturer sa Occidental Mindoro, at least maliit na ang area. Itong sa Parañaque, kakaunti na. Lumiliit nang lumiliit ang ating areas. So ng sabi ko bakit ngayon lang sinabi sa BFAR na may P100 million?” he added.

(One of the biggest factories in Lingayen, Pangasinan, closed. The area of a salt rock manufacturer in Occidental Mindoro became smaller. The one in Parañaue City has less production. Our areas of salt production are getting smaller. So I asked why is BFAR only informing me of the P100M just now?)

Panganiban said he immediately ordered the disbursement of the funds, citing the need to rehabilitate several salt manufacturers including those located in Occidental Mindoro and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

“Ni-release ng DBM since January 2022 pero di ginagalaw ng BFAR. You could just imagine, nine months idle. Ngayon pinabilisan ko ang release,” Panganiban said.

(The DBM released it in January 2022 but the BFAR is not using it. You could just imagine, nine months idle. Now, I ordered its release to be expedited.)

The Philippines is importing at least 93% of its salt requirement, according to Panganiban.

In August, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) approved an increase in suggested retail prices of salt years after its prices remained unchanged.

Latest data from DTI showed the suggested retail price (SRP) of iodized rock salt now stands at P21.75 for 500 grams and P23.00 for one kilogram. For iodized salt, the SRP for a 100-gram pack is set at P4.50, while the price for a 250-gram pack ranges from P9.00 to P11.75 and P16.00 to P21.25 for a 500-gram pack. One kilogram of salt is priced at P29.00.

BFAR in late August said it was setting aside P100 million to enhance the local production of salt.

It said the amount would allow for the expansion of the country’s salt industry and to ensure the continuous and sufficient supply of the product. —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA News