Halal literally means "permissible" in Arabic and refers to goods, including food items and services, that are permissible to consume or use under Sharia law. In contrast, haram (lit. "unlawful") refers to goods that are forbidden to consume or use. Despite being a Christian-majority country, the Philippines has a state-sanctioned program to facilitate halal certification of goods under the Halal Act of 2016.
The Philippines is a Christian-majority country, although there are state-led efforts to develop the halal certification process for purposes such as international trade [1] and encouraging more halal tourism by providing dining options for Muslim tourists. [2] As of 2018, the Philippines contributes only 5 percent to the global halal industry trade, according to its Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The Philippine government seeks to expand and develop the halal certification process to enhance its export industry with Muslim-majority countries. [3] The government has also promoted halal-certified food items to non-Muslims since these items are free from alcohol, pork, and pork-derived products. [1] [4]
There is national legislation mandating the government to regulate the halal certification of goods in the Philippines and promote halal-certified goods for export. This legislation is known as the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Program Act of 2016 (Republic Act 10817). The law took effect on July 26, 2017, after its implementing rules and regulations were approved. [3]
The law established the Halal Export Development and Promotion Board, an inter-agency body led by the Department of Trade and Industry. This board includes the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, the Departments of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Department of Science and Technology, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (the country's central bank), and the Mindanao Development Authority, along with two Muslim Filipino professionals to facilitate its implementation. [3]
Prior to the passage of the Halal Act of 2016, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) was already mandated under Republic Act 9997 of 2010 to develop the halal industry and accredit halal certifying bodies. The NCMF itself replaced the defunct Office on Muslim Affairs. [5]
The DTI's Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) is the sole agency responsible for accrediting halal-certification bodies, inspection bodies, and testing and calibration laboratories. [6] [3] The PAB has represented the Philippines in the International Halal Accreditation Forum since 2017. [7] The Department of Science and Technology has set up a network of one-stop laboratories, known as OneLab, which also conduct halal testing. [1] As of 2020, there are nine halal-certification bodies (HCBs) in the Philippines, namely: [2]
HCBs can also certify non-food items such as cosmetics, pharmaceutical products including vaccines. [8] [9]
The Philippine government adopted a national halal logo or mark in July 2019 to identify halal-certified products produced in the country. [10] There are two versions of the mark: a monochrome version for labeling purposes to reduce printing costs, and a full-color version for other printing materials. [11] Halal-certification bodies also have their own halal logos, which are still authorized for use even after the adoption of the 2019 national halal logo. [12]
The economy of the Philippines is an emerging market, and considered as a newly industrialized country in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2024, the Philippine economy is estimated to be at ₱26.55 trillion, making it the world's 32nd largest by nominal GDP and 13th largest in Asia according to the International Monetary Fund.
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Organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. In general, any business directly involved in food production can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, food processors, retailers and restaurants. A lesser known counterpart is certification for organic textiles that includes certification of textile products made from organically grown fibres.
Halal is an Arabic word that translates to 'permissible' in English. In the Quran, the term halal is contrasted with the term haram. It is used to refer to actions, behaviors, or items that are allowed under the teachings of Islam. Halal applies not only to food but also to various aspects of life, including finance, clothing, and behavior. Its opposite is haram, which means "forbidden" or "unlawful". The concept of halal is central to Islamic practices and is derived from the Quran and the Sunnah. The guidelines for what is considered halal or haram are laid out in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), and scholars interpret these guidelines to ensure compliance with Islamic principles.
Jolo, officially the Municipality of Jolo, is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Sulu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 137,266 people.
Sitangkai, officially the Municipality of Sitangkai, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,319 people.
Datu Saudi Ampatuan, officially the Municipality of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 31,060 people.
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The Department of Trade and Industry is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the advancement, promotion, governance, regulation, management and growth of industry and trade.
A balikbayan box is a corrugated box containing items sent by overseas Filipinos. Though often shipped by freight forwarders specializing in sending balikbayan boxes by sea, such boxes are also commonly brought by Filipinos returning to the Philippines via air.
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Halal literally means "permissible" in Arabic and refers to food items that are permissible to consume under Sharia law, whereas haram refers to any substance not permitted to consume. According to the Australian Food and Grocery Council, halal foods must be "free from any substance taken or extracted from a haram animal or ingredient ; [be] made, processed, manufactured and/or stored by using utensils, equipment and/or machinery that has been cleaned according to Islamic law ; and [be] free from contact with, or being close to, a haram substance during preparation, manufacture, processing and storage ."
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Datu Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto was a Filipino businessman and politician. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte in September 2016 as the chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority, serving as its first Muslim chair until his death in May 2019.
