DOST opens Phl’s first salt R&D hub in Pangasinan to cut imports

The Philippines has taken a major step toward reducing its heavy reliance on imported salt with the inauguration of the country’s first dedicated salt research and development center in Pangasinan.

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST), in partnership with Pangasinan State University (PSU) in Binmaley, formally launched the Accelerating Salt Research and Innovation (ASIN) Center on 17 February 2026. The facility is envisioned to help drive the country toward 100 percent national salt sufficiency.

DoST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said the country currently imports the bulk of its salt supply, with 93 percent sourced from abroad and only seven percent produced locally.

“For years, our country has faced a difficult truth: we rely overwhelmingly on imported salt. Ninety-three percent of our total supply comes from abroad, while only seven percent is produced locally. This gap continues to widen as national demand rises due to legislative and agricultural needs,” Solidum said.

Data cited from the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Journal of Fisheries show local salt production at around 114,623.29 metric tons annually, equivalent to just 16.78 percent of national demand, with imports largely coming from Australia and China.

The ASIN Center is designed as a research and innovation hub that will support the Philippine salt industry through modern production technologies, salt farm mapping, product development, and partnerships with government, industry, and local communities.

Solidum said the decline of the domestic salt industry has been driven by limited salt farms, an aging workforce, outdated technologies, quality and safety issues, climate disruptions and the lack of a dedicated training and research facility.

The facility features advanced laboratory testing equipment, training and workshop areas, and a demonstration site for improved salt production technologies.

Project leader Engr. Rex B. Basuel of PSU Binmaley said stakeholders, including salt producers and farmers in Pangasinan, have expressed optimism over the new technologies introduced through the program.

He noted that local government units in Pangasinan aim to promote these technologies among salt producers to increase output and improve quality standards.

While Pangasinan is recognized as the country’s second-largest salt producer, Solidum emphasized that the ASIN Center is intended to benefit other salt-producing regions as well.

The center will operate under the DoST’s Niche Centers in the Regions for Research and Development program and will collaborate with Mariano Marcos State University, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, and President Ramon Magsaysay State University.

The ASIN Center forms part of DoST’s broader push for science-based and innovation-driven solutions to strengthen key industries and reduce import dependence.