- Philippine trade officials are aiding small businesses in Mindanao to boost their halal output.
- The halal industry is crucial for economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation in Mindanao.
- The DTI acknowledged 13 halal-certified establishments in Zamboanga during the visit.
In January, the government launched a national halal strategy aimed at raising 230 billion Philippine pesos ($4 billion) in investment and generating about 120,000 jobs by 2028 by tapping into the global industry, estimated to be worth more than $7 trillion.
Last week, the Department of Trade and Industry visited Zamboanga City in western Mindanao, where officials met with local business owners to strategize on ways "to harness the region’s vast potential and capitalize on the global halal market," as stated in a departmental statement.
The halal industry is strategically important “in catalyzing economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation in Mindanao,” the DTI added.
In Zamboanga, the DTI engaged in discussions with local authorities and business communities to foster a "commitment to driving the halal industry’s growth." The department also acknowledged 13 halal-certified establishments in Zamboanga during the visit.
Aleem Guiapal, who heads the DTI Halal Industry Development Program, said that Zamboanga City's strategic location makes it a potential halal hub for further expanding the Philippines’ domestic halal industry.
“Zamboanga is a strategic point that connects the island province and also the mainland provinces of the Bangsamoro,” Guiapal told Arab News on Monday, referring to the Philippines’ Muslim-majority region.
But trade officials will also visit other cities across the country to advance the Philippines’ halal strategy.
“Any region is a potential halal hub,” Guiapal said. “We just need to provide the parameters, the availability, and accessibility of halal products.”
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