Villa Flora M. Rosos

ALUBIJID, Misamis Oriental – To support the country’s strengthening and revitalization efforts to boost the salt industry, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-10 (BFAR-10), through its Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO) in Misamis Oriental (MisOr), successfully facilitated the benchmarking activity of the delegation from BFAR Caraga on May 27, 2025, at the salt production site, this town.

The said benchmarking activity was part of the visiting region’s capacity building initiatives to enhance the knowledge of their local salt producers through exposure to proven technologies and salt production and management practices that are already tested with time. The site in Alubijid is known to have  the largest salt drying ponds in Mindanao that produce salt for human consumption as well as for agricultural use for many years now.    

The visiting team was composed of a multi-sectoral delegation, including key personnel of BFAR Caraga and local government representatives from the municipalities of Malimono, Dinagat, Lingig, and Butuan City. Also present were representatives from Xavier University – Butuan and the Dinagat Islands Multi-Purpose Cooperative. 

Most of the LGUs from Caraga that visited the salt production site have not yet operated their salt farms; hence, the benchmarking activity served as an important platform for introducing cost-effective, sustainable, practical, and compliant approaches to salt production that may be adopted and localized in their respective areas.

The activity began with courtesy visits to the BFAR Regional Office 10, the PFO Misamis Oriental Office, and the Office of the Municipal Mayor of Alubijid, Hon. Emmanuel L. Jamis, DVM, who expressed full support for inter-regional learning exchanges and salt farmer empowerment.

A comprehensive technical briefing was delivered by Ms. Christine Jean Noblezada, Fisheries Extension Worker from LGU Alubijid where she discussed the technical aspects of salt production, including site selection, brine concentration methods, solar drying, and post-harvest handling practices. This was followed by a guided tour of the salt production facility, where the delegation was able to observe firsthand the step-by-step processes of the operation.

BFAR 10, consistent in its support to the industry, provided full technical assistance, facilitated site visits, and arranged technical briefings for the visitors from Caraga Region, reinforcing BFAR 10’s commitment to help boost the local salt industry. Currently, the agency has an on-going initiative in Misamis Oriental called the Development of Salt Industry Project (DSIP) with already significant government investment to advance local production, and enhance the livelihoods of salt farmers in the region. The program focuses on technological advancement, policy support, and training for salt producers.