Section 9Sec./Art. 9

Mapping and Determination of Public Lands for Salt Production; Role of the DENR and BFAR. - Most areas suitable for salt production are public lands which are currently within the administrative jurisdiction of the DENR and the BFAR.

Pursuant to this Act, the DENR through its appropriate bureaus and its attached agency, the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), and the BFAR are hereby mandated to map out, identify, and designate public lands, including portions of municipal waters, as salt production areas. They shall prioritize public lands situated in the following provinces that are identified as suitable for salt production, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Quezon Province, Misamis Oriental, and Antique, which are now hereby declared as priority areas for salt production.

They shall finish the task within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That public lands in other regions shall also be subsequently mapped out, identified and designated as potential salt production areas, within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, further, That the result of the mandatory mapping, identification, and designation of public lands for slat production shall be shared with the public, through the DENR and BFAR websites or otherwise, as their respective agency rules shall allow, so as to inform interested salt industry investors: Provided, furthermore, That they shall also provide a report on the completion of this mapping, identification, and designation to both Houses of Congress through the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM).