RP may adopt foreign halal accreditation protocols
by RG Alama
Davao City (7
January) — The Philippines’ can adopt the halal certification protocol
in order to hasten the development of the country’s Halal industry
particularly here in Mindanao.
This was said by
Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) chair Vicente Lao during a weekly
business media forum held last Tuesday, (Jan. 6) at Medispa-SM.
“It’s nice to have
our own halal certification.” Said Lao, but he said they can also
shortcut it by adopting the certification procedures of Brunei or
Malaysia, both countries which have similar halal certification
protocols.
He said there is no
decision yet whether what halal certification to adopt. He said that
the certification is very important in joining the lucrative
$500-billion Halal food industry worldwide. Lao said that it is better
to outsource certification rather then make one since establishing the
credibility of the certification procedure takes time and is not an
overnight process.
“We can piggyback on
accepted protocols, Lao said. Although currently on-going is the
program of the Autonomous Region of Moslem Mindanao or ARMM in sending
people to Malaysia for Halal certification training.
Lao opined that if
the training is completed and the ARMM can establish its own protocols,
then it is practical to for the country to adopt its (ARMM) Halal
certification procedures, especially since it is located in a Moslem
area. (PIA)
