DOST to hold World Halal Assembly in Manila on Jan. 18-19

MANILA -- The Department of Science and Technology in Region XII will hold the World Halal Assembly in Manila on January 18-19.

The international conference will serve as an avenue for experts, entrepreneurs, academe, government, and consumers to discuss views on the Halal industry.

DOST XII has prepared several plenary sessions for the two-day event, and has invited international speakers. Among the things to be tackled are the Halal technical regulations, the scientific implications on Halal, SMEs (small, medium enterprises) development through Halal science and technology, the eco-Halal, among others.

Islamic scholars, Muslim academicians and scientists, International Certification bodies, government officials, entrepreneurs, Muslim and non-Muslim consumers are expected to attend the conference.

There will also be workshops on Halal branding, Halal standards as well as Islamic banking and finance.

In June 2015, the agency has unveiled the DOST XII Halal logo, which has signified the Philippines' readiness to enter the global Halal market.

During the Halal Assembly in 2015, the DOST talked about the importance of this logo, which followed the Standards Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) - a mechanism for harmonization of standards among the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries.

DOST XII said its Seal of Quality or Halal logo was internationally-recognized. The seal "removes technical barriers in trading and export" and added value to the product since Halal was obligatory for the Muslims.

The agency said those who availed of the Seal of Quality were also provided with a better understanding of the Halal market, international regulations on Halal products, and updates on the industry and innovative strategies to attain success in Halal business.

DOST XII Director Hadja Sittie Shayma Zenaida P. Hadji Raof Laidan said that though the Philippines was a non-Muslim country, it had very rich natural resources for Halal products.

She added that in protecting, preserving, developing and promoting Halal, the agency strengthened its efforts to ensure that science, technology and innovation could serve its purpose as backbone for the Halal industry with Halal integrity at the core.  (PNA)