Manila, March 4 -- To revitalize the salt industry in Ilocos Norte and to add more value to the natural sea salt, a gourmet salt processing and analysis center was formally opened in Burgos town on Tuesday.

For the initiative, local makers belonging to the Mariposa Salt Producers Association were trained to process at least five flavored salts: native garlic, black garlic, native garlic-onion, native onion, and gamet seaweed.

"This is a big help for us and we are so grateful to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for assisting us since the start and until now. Your focus and determination to help us is deeply appreciated," Larry Baniaga, Mariposa's president, said during the blessing, inauguration and turnover of the center....