The 2nd Salt Congress, which was held in Pangasinan, focused on strategies to further strengthen the country’s salt industry.

Various experts, government officials, and stakeholders discussed the importance of enhancing local salt production not only in Pangasinan but also in other provinces that contribute to salt production.

"We will promise that we will provide the small-scale machines this early quarter of 2025, wherein we can ask the government to fund it for a larger scale that can provide [and] produce salt," Dr. Elbert Galas, President of Pangasinan State University, said.

The goal is to reduce the country’s dependence on imported salt through better management, development, research, and innovations.

"Hinahanap po namin yung mga artisan salt makers na hindi gaanong kilala. Gusto po namin silang ipakilala sa ating bansa which is para makatulong sa pagbebenta nila," Lourdes Espiritu, Project Technical Aide at President Ramon Magsaysay State University, added.

Pangasinan remains one of the top producers of salt in the country, making it a priority to support the growth of the salt industry in the province.

"Kung wala tayong processing, magde-depende tayo sa PSA, kahit mataas ang presyo ng PSA, but their logistics ay medyo malaki… ang problema, yung sodium chloride, 90-99 percent ang kailangan, saan tayo kukuha?" Nestor Batalla, Pangasinan Assistant Provincial Agriculturist, said.