DTI urges businesses to get halal certification

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is urging businesses to cater to halal consumers by securing certification for their products and services to expand their customer base and allow the country to increase its share in the global halal market.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, who also serves as the chair of the Halal Export Development and Promotion Board, said it is time for entrepreneurs to start changing their mindset and see halal as a lifestyle that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Halal products and services follow the prescribed process of preparation according to Islamic law.

“DTI is promoting this because halal-certified food products connote positive attributes such as being clean, healthy and pure. We encourage more companies to apply for halal certification because it opens more markets, so more consumers can buy their products,” Lopez said.

He said some local companies are already getting certification for their canned tuna and corned beef products to serve the halal market.

Apart from food, other products and services which could apply for halal certification include cosmetics and personal care items, as well as hotels and restaurants.

At present, there are nine halal-certifying bodies in the Philippines such as the Islamic Da’wah Council of the Philippines, Halal Development Institute of the Philippines, Mindanao Halal Authority, Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries in the Philippines, Islamic Advocate on Halal and Development, Philippine Ulama Congress Organization, Alliance for Halal Integrity in the Philippines Inc. and Prime Asia Pacific.

To accommodate more applications, Lopez is pushing to have more halal-certifying bodies.

“There is big potential in halal in the sense that there are many tourists that skip visiting the Philippines because there are only a few places where they can eat,” he said.

He said the Philippines could follow the example of Singapore, which like the Philippines only has 10 percent of the population being Muslim, but still has many stores selling halal products.

The global halal market has an estimated value of $3.3 trillion.

DTI estimates the country’s halal exports reached $560 million in 2018.