TACLOBAN CITY – To tackle high post-harvest losses in its fishing industry, the provincial government of Northern Samar, in partnership with several national agencies, has opened a salt and sardines production facility in Barangay Sangputan, San Vicente town.
The facility, operated by the 25-member Sangputan Workers Association (SWA), aims to process and preserve fish through salt production and sardine-making. Aside from helping extend the shelf life of marine products, the salt output is also expected to supply the local market and add value to the province’s abundant marine resources.
According to the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (PEDIPO), each crystallization module can produce over 18 kilograms of salt per week, with output expected to grow as the facility expands.
The project, inaugurated on Tuesday, August 12, followed months of preparation that included community workshops, technical training, and the provision of tools and equipment. The provincial government, through PEDIPO, turned over P926,248.60 worth of machinery, materials, and capacity-building support to strengthen SWA’s operations.
Present at the ceremony were representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).
Governor Harris Christopher Ongchuan expressed optimism that the success in Sangputan would inspire similar ventures in other municipalities, fostering rural livelihoods and enterprise growth.
“For now, the products will be consumed within the municipality and the province. But as it expands — since BFAR has committed to fund the expansion — it could possibly be distributed outside,” PEDIPO head Jan Allen Berbon said.
Officials believe the initiative will help reduce post-harvest losses, increase production, improve product quality, and expand market access for locally made salt and sardines, in line with the province’s goal of building resilient, competitive, and self-reliant fishing communities.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
