DAVAO CITY – An internationally-accredited Halal certiier now operates in the Philippines, giving Filipino companies opportunities to export products in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Islamic countries.
Halal certifier Prime is headquartered in Dubai providing quality and compliance solutions in the Middle East and North Africa. It opened its Manila branch early this year after getting approval from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Prime CEO Mary Jane Alvero said the company's entry to the country will lessen the expenses of Filipino companies that want their products Halal certified by an accredited international certifier, especially if it is exporting their products to Islamic countries.
A Philippine company getting a certification from a Halal certifier in UAE could spend not less than half a million pesos.
Alvero said Prime collected for halal certification from one company the amount of PHP750,000 for a three-year certification validity.
According to Alvero, it is not easy to get Halal certification because it goes through stages plus continued surveillance, inspections, and surprise audit to ensure that regulations are strictly followed.
“There should be continuity. Di sila pwede pabayaan (Cannot just leave them) after certifying them,” said Alvero
Prime is currently working on the certification of five Philippine companies eyeing the UAE and Middle East market, two of which are CNH Cosmetics and Mamasita. There are also a number of firms negotiating with Prime for certification as it is the only international Halal certifier operating in the Philippines.
Marilou Ampuan, president of the United Islamic Center Foundation, is hopeful that the national standards on Halal certification scheme would be launched in May.
She said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-led team is reportedly ready to launch the national standards.
Ampuan, who is also the Halal committee chair of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, said DTI is the lead agency in the 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, with 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 five local certifiers to two more years.
These include three NCMF-accredited certifiers while the other two were appointed by the DTI. The five local 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. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
