MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is looking at opportunities to provide products and services that cater to the halal market in line with the objective of attracting more tourists here.
In a statement yesterday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it is exploring opportunities in the halal market.
During the 8th World Halal Conference (WHC) 2015 and 11th Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) held in Kuala Lumpur last week, Prudencio Reyes, Jr. who serves as undersecretary at the DTI and senior official for the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East AseanGrowth Area (BIMP-EAGA) attended the event to learn about opportunities available for the country.
The WHC is an annual event organized by the Halal Industry Development Corp. It focuses on the overall development of the halal industry in Malaysia, while the MIHAS is an internationally recognized exhibition of halal products and services conducted by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp.
Halal is the prescribed process of product preparation based on Islamic law.
To be considered halal, products and services need to be certified by halal certification agencies.
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“This is a great opportunity for the Philippines to enter the billion-dollar halal industry. Mindanao could be a potential producer of tuna, sardines, banana, coconut, fruits and most especially poultry and livestock products due to its advantage as bird flu and FMD (foot-and-mouth disease) free island in the country as well as in the BIMP-EAGA,” Reyes said.
Tapping the halal market will not only provide livelihood opportunities here but also allow the country to get more tourists.
Access to halal food is a major concern for Muslim visitors.
“This initiative is our way of opening halal products and services to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Mindanao and other parts of the country,” Reyes said.
Amid interest from foreign firms to invest in the country by manufacturing products and providing services for the halal market, the DTI said earlier it is looking to set up a halal economic zone.
DTI Export Marketing Bureau Director Senen Perlada said, are option is to designate a portion of the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and convert it to a halal economic zone.
Other ways by which the country can set up a halal economic zone is through legislation or through the proclamation of an area as a special economic zone by the President.
Countries like Malaysia and Thailand which have halal economic zones are able take advantage of opportunities in the halal market and attract locators.
