Halal board set to unveil road map during first National Halal Conference

THE government is set to reveal next week its strategic roadmap which was crafted with the aim of boosting the export of halal products.
In a statement released Friday, the Trade Department, which leads the interagency Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Board, said the roadmap will include the launch of the approved Philippine national halal certification scheme and the accreditation guidelines, “two of the most important components” of the plan.
The agency said the board will unveil the comprehensive plan at the first Philippine National Halal Conference which will gather some of the major halal global players to share their experiences and best practices.
The two-day event, which will start on May 2, will be held in Davao City, with the theme “Towards Making the Philippines a Respectable Player in the Global Halal Ecosystem.”
“With the first Philippine National Halal Conference, we are eyeing heightened collaboration among key stakeholders and institutions that will work together in the promotion and development of the Philippine Halal exports sector,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Trade and Investments Promotion Group Assistant Secretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman said in the statement.
The event will include information sessions and lectures by Philippine Muslim religious scholars who will discuss the how to develop the halal industry in line with Sharia or Islamic law.
The global halal market is worth $2.6 trillion. The DTI has expressed the hope that the country’s halal exports will hit $1.4 billion in 2018, up from around $800 million in 2017.
The country has been boosting its efforts to increase its share of the market by holding a series of seminars to promote awareness of the fundamentals of the industry while also forging partnerships with Muslim states.
Republic Act 10817 or the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016 mandates the DTI to strengthen its capabilities to fill the global demand for quality halal products and services. — Janina L. Lim