HALAL MARKET. Siti Azlina, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation commissioner, introduces the Halal market to businessmen and local government officials in Iloilo City on Monday (Feb. 17, 2020). The Iloilo Business Club is supporting "Halal tourism" to position the city as a top destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE). (PNA Photo by Gail Momblan)
ILOILO CITY -- Business leaders here are pushing to explore "Halal tourism" to complement the campaign of the Department of Tourism (DOT) to make this city a top destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).
Halal does not solely uphold Islamic compliant rules and regulations but also food safety, hygiene, and cleanliness, Siti Azlina, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) commissioner said on Monday.
Azlina was in this city to promote the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS), which is set to host Philippine businesses in the Halal sector at its 17th edition scheduled from April 1 to 4 in Kuala, Lumpur.
On the sidelines of her presentation, Azlina introduced the Halal market to Ilonggo businessmen and local government officials. She said the Halal market is an “in thing” that many are interested to engage.
In 2018, Halal market is about US$2.2 trillion and is expected to reach US$3.4 trillion in 2040.
Lea Lara, Iloilo Business Club executive director, said in an interview this city also wants to take part in the Halal market.
“It’s a trillion-dollar market. We are not even there. That is something we can divulge into as a serious MICE player in Asia,” she said.
She said Halal tourism does not only entails Halal-certified food but also cosmetics, construction, pharmaceuticals, and services, among others.
The MICE industry in this city needs to be “capacitated” as hotels and restaurants, which host events, still import food that conforms with Halal requirements.
“We are looking at investments, of Halal-certified slaughterhouse from food chain to warehouse to production line in Iloilo. They can help us,” she said.
Lara said this city does not yet have any establishment that is Halal-certified.
Happy Abenir, spokesperson of the Iloilo Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants Association (IHRRA), said the industry in this city is anticipating seminars regarding Halal.
“We also would like our members to look at that portion of the tourism industry. It’s something new for us but we will try to get into that,” she said.
Azlina, meanwhile, said that the Philippines has seven or eight Halal certifiers. “I would urge small to medium enterprises to approach these Halal certifiers and know what requirements they need to be certified as Halal,” Azlina said.
The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology also organized a lot of training on Halal to give information on companies to be compliant, she said.
Azlina urged members of this city’s business community to participate at the MIHAS to showcase its current products.
“It will be a good avenue for the Philippines to not only showcase the current products but also take part in the knowledge sharing sessions,” she said.
“MIHAS 2020 will put forward the economic values of Halal for the world and how they can collaborate with Malaysia to increase the trade of Halal products and services,” Azlina added. (PNA)
