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| Academic representatives from Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) of Batac, Ilocos Norte have met with Batangas provincial government officials to discuss the strengthening of the salt industry in the province. (Image Source: Politiko South Luzon/Batangas Provincial Public Information Office) |
Academic representatives from Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) of Batac, Ilocos Norte traveled to Batangas Province to conduct a series of dialogues and site visits to salt farms situated across various parts of the province to study the strengthening of the salt industry in selected salt-producing provinces in various regions in the Philippines. The project is part of a 2-year program called “Development of Sustainable and Climate Resilient Salterns: Best Practices, Standardization, Site Mapping and Design of Pilot Saltern Farms” of the Department of Science and Technology Science for Change Program (DOST S4CP) - Niche Centers in the Regions for Research and Development (NICER). The said initiative aims to strengthen the country's salt production capacity, create climate resilient salterns, and strengthen and study innovative methods and technologies. In this way, it is expected to build sustainable and modern salt farms that can provide economic benefits to rural areas, with the potential to become the main source of quality salt in the country.
Through Dr. Rodel Utrera of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist's Accelerating Salt Research and Innovation (ASIN)-Project 1 at the Batangas Office of Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), MMSU representatives met with officials of the Provincial Government of Batangas led by Provincial Administrator Wilfredo Racelis last February 26, 2025 at the Provincial Capitol in Batangas City. In Dr. Utrera's presentation, Batangas Province is one of the provinces with the greatest potential for growing the salt industry in the country due to its communities that actively operate salt farms in towns near its coastal areas. The Capitol responded positively to the study and conveyed to the delegation its one hundred percent support for the ongoing studies and research to have a modern and quality salt industry in Batangas. During the three-day site visit and mapping of the salterns, the research teams went to the salterns in the towns of Lobo, San Juan, Calatagan and Lian.
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| (Image Source: Batangas Provincial Public Information Office) |
Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Batangas successfully held the Harvest Field Day for the Maliputo Grow-Out Culture project managed by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) last March 4, 2025 at Sitio Tagbakin, Brgy. Halang in Lipa City. The Maliputo fish cage raising project, which started in August 2024, aims to provide livelihoods to fishermen who are members of the Small-Scale Fishermen's Movement of Taal Lake (KMMLT) – Lipa City Chapter. In its implementation, Batangueño fisher folks went through processes and training for the strong promotion of Maliputo fish farming, under the guidance of experts from OPAg and the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). This includes the use of proper fish cages, training on the technology and process of breeding maliputo fingerlings, growth monitoring, marketing and evaluation and fishery agricultural inputs.
Strengthening the aquaculture industry is one of the focuses of the provincial government, led by Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, in response to the directive for food security through the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES). PAFES aims to have a well-organized program and strong coordination among local governments, national agencies, the private sector, and fisher folk organizations to promote "livelihood opportunities" for Batangueño fishermen. Witnessing the said occasion with their presence are Batangas Association of Barangay Captains President and Provincial Board Member Fernan Rocafort, Lipa City Agriculturist Lorelei A. Villa Del Rey, Lipa City Councilor King Umali, Taal Volcano Protected Landscape (TVPL) Protected Area Superintendent Jasmin Andaya, Barangay Fisheries Provincial Batangas Officer Kristine Escosura, and representatives of the provincial government.
(With words by Edwin V. Zabarte, Batangas Provincial Public Information Office)
