Urdaneta lad honored for James Dyson Award
‘SOLASIN’ RECOGNIZED AS ACCESSIBLE, SUSTAINABLE DEVICE
THE Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed a resolution congratulating and commending John Carlo Luna Reyes of Urdaneta City for winning the Philippine national title in the 20th James Dyson Award for his innovative “SolAsin” device, a solar-powered salt-making tool that is both accessible and sustainable.
Authored by 4th District Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario and co-authored by 5th District Board Members Nicholi Jan Louie Sison and Rose Apaga, Provincial Resolution No. 236-2025 recognizes Reyes’ achievement as both a technological breakthrough and a cultural milestone for Pangasinan, whose name itself traces back to the word asin (salt).
Reyes, a magna cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman College of Fine Arts (Industrial Design), developed SolAsin to create high-value flaky salt using seawater, solar energy, and a greenhouse-inspired setup.
Reyes’ SolAsin was also chosen as one of the recipients of the James Dyson Foundation Prototyping Grant at UP Diliman, further supporting his goal of scaling the project for use in coastal communities across the country.
The innovation not only addresses the nation’s dependence on imported salt but also provides sustainable livelihood opportunities for coastal communities.
“The SolAsin is an affordable tool that can produce salt along the seashore without requiring large spaces or big capital. More importantly, it produces flaky salt, which has a high market value,” Reyes shared in a statement.
Governor Ramon Guico III’s administration has made the revival of the salt-making industry one of its priorities, as seen in the establishment of the Pangasinan Salt Center in Bolinao. The Board said Reyes’ award aligns with this thrust and places the province at the center of global recognition for innovation in food security and cultural preservation.
“His achievement not only brings pride and honor to Pangasinan but also serves as an inspiration to the youth to pursue science and technology in solving national and global challenges,” the resolution stated. (Eva Visperas)
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