Leading the charge in science-driven industry transformation, ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐. ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ, President of Pangasinan State University (PSU), amplified his dedication to modernizing the Philippine salt sector as he joined a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the deployment of the countryโs first Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR) machine in Burgos, Ilocos Norte – an initiative aligned with the national innovation agenda of DOST under the leadership of Secretary ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐จ ๐. ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ซ.
The agreement, led by ๐๐ซ. ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐. ๐๐๐๐๐จ๐ , Regional Director of DOST Ilocos Region, constitutes a core component of the One in Accelerating Salt Innovations in the Region (OneASIN) programโan initiative that integrates advanced technology, research collaboration, and capacity-building to revive and modernize the countryโs salt industry.
The agreement was signed by Regional Director Tabaog, Assistant Regional Director for Field Operations Services Decth 1180 P. Libunao, DOST Ilocos Norte Provincial Director Engr. Brian U. Rasco, Burgos Mayor Crescente N. Garcia, Dr. Elbert M. Galas, and Dr. Virgilio Julius Manzano Jr., President of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU).
This milestone is the natural progression of PSUโs leadership in salt research and innovation, anchored at the National Salt Research and Development Center (ASIN Center) in PSU Binmaley.
โThis is a complete reimagining of what Filipino salt production can achieve in the 21st century,โ Dr. Galas emphasized during an earlier EDR orientation held at the ASIN Centerโan event that laid the scientific and operational groundwork for the technology now being deployed in Ilocos Norte.
The MOA builds directly on PSUโs pioneering work through the ASIN Center, established under DOSTโs NICER Program as a national hub for salt research, standardization, and innovation. Under Dr. Galasโ leadership, and through the Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension, and Innovation led by Dr. Razeale G. Resultay, PSU has strengthened its role in bridging laboratory science with community-based industry transformation.
At the core of this effort is the EDR technologyโchampioned and operationalized by Engr. Rex Basuelโwhich produces high-purity, pharmaceutical-grade salt in hours, a stark contrast to traditional solar evaporation methods that depend heavily on weather conditions and often fail to meet industry standards.
In advancing EDR technology from research to real-world application, PSU under Dr. Galas is not only helping transform salt productionโit is helping reshape an industry long defined by limitation into one driven by precision, sustainability, and innovation.
#TatakPSU
#TatakPEMG
#SaltIndustryPH
