Salty Disposition

For a Country Surrounded by Sea Water, Why Is the Philippines Importing Salt From Its Neighbors?

- Romeo Moran

Apart from just making food taste better, salt creates jobs and livelihood for thousands of Filipinos. We are surrounded by sea, anyway. Yet despite this, you may be surprised to know that the seasoning on your table most likely came from China and Australia. How did it end up like that?

FOR HEALTH REASONS

If you grew up in the ’90s, you’ll surely remember then-Health Secretary Juan Flavier’s insistent campaign to promote the consumption of iodized salt. It was impossible to get away from it because the commercial jingle and the ads accompanying it preached iodized salt as a way to live better. That whole drive was due to Republic Act 8172, better known as the ASIN Law (Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide), which solely pushed for the addition of iodine in salt to address the people’s deficiency. The campaign was actually more for the underprivileged sectors of society; those who relied on saltier food to get by every day and were, therefore, more susceptible to the risks of iodine deficiency.