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Halal player urges gov't to release standards policy

By Digna Banzon

September 21, 2017, 6:32 pm

DAVAO CITY – A Halal promoter in Davao Region has urged government to release the national standards on Halal certification to allow the country’s industry to compete globally.

Marilou Ampuan, president of the United Islamic Center Foundation, said the national standards on Halal certification scheme that the certifiers have been waiting for must be given importance by the government. Otherwise, she said the government is not ready for the industry.

She, however, said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-led team is already conducting massive consultations around the country for the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

She also said the Davao Halal Industry Council will be meeting next week and wanted to know about the content and the formulation of the Halal national standards.

Ampuan, who is also the Halal committee chair of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, said DTI is the lead agency in Halal Board, created in accordance with Republic Act No. 10817, an Act Instituting the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Program. The Board is chaired by DTI and the National Commission on Muslim Filipino (NCMF) as vice chair.

While the halal standards are still being finalized, Ampuan said the board has extended the role of the certifiers to two more years.

These certifiers included three NCMF-accredited certifiers and the other two which were appointed by the DTI. The five certifiers are the Islamic Dawa Council of the Phils, the Halal Development Institute of the Philippines, Mindanao Halal Authority, Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, and the Halal International Chamber of Commerce.

Ampuan said the countries like Thailand and Malaysia only have one certifier. She voiced concerns that once Philippines adopts only one certifier for the country there might be resistance from the existing certifiers given that these have been in the business for a long time.

These certifiers went through complying several requirements and investments for their accreditation and already known in the international market, she said.

"It will depend also whether they will qualify to the standards set by the DTI," she said. (Digna D. Banzon/PNA)

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