The country’s first salt research hub was officially unveiled on Tuesday, aiming to strengthen the Philippines’ salt industry and reduce reliance on imports.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in collaboration with Pangasinan State University (PSU), inaugurated the Accelerating Salt Research and Innovation (ASIN) Research and Development Center in Binmaley, Pangasinan on February 17.
In a Facebook post, DOST said the facility will introduce modern and practical salt production technologies to boost local output.
DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. led the inauguration and said the project aims to address long-standing challenges faced by the industry, noting that 93 percent of the country’s salt supply is imported.
“The ASIN Center will help deliver the research capacity and modern technology we’ve long lacked, so the Philippines can secure its own salt supply, strengthen local livelihoods, and ensure that an industry central to our daily lives never falls behind again,” he said.
The project is led by the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), with P43 million in funding support from the agency.
ASIN Center Divisions
According to DOST, the ASIN Center is composed of three divisions: the Membrane Science and Separation Technology Division, the Salt Division, and the Process Design and Engineering Division.
The agency said these divisions are equipped with advanced research equipment and facilities.
Meanwhile, PSU President Dr. Elbert Galas said the facility aims to increase the country’s salt production and improve product quality.
“The purpose of this research center is, first, to increase the production of salt. Second, to improve quality. There are many pollutants and impurities that mix with our traditional methods, such as solar drying and cooking,” he said.
ASIN Center Program Leader Engr. Rex Basuel said the center seeks to revive the salt industry while preserving traditional salt-making methods.
Basuel expressed hope that through the facility, the country can significantly reduce salt imports and eventually become a salt exporter in the future.
