Bangsamoro stakeholders to enhance halal industry for local consumers for the next 5 years

DAVAO CITY—In an effort to enhance the Halal industry for the next five years in the Bangsamoro Region, stakeholders together with representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held a four-day workshop for the development of the Bangsamoro Halal Industry Plan 2024-2029.
 
The event was spearheaded by the Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA).
 
Trade and Investment Minister Abu Amri Taddik during the forum emphasized that the Halal market offers an unparalleled opportunity for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to carve its niche and secure a brighter future for the local consumers.
 
“We stand at the threshold of a new era, one where the principle of halal is not just a guiding principle, but a driving force for economic prosperity and social progress,” Taddik said.
 
The Halal industry as a driving force for economic prosperity and social progress in the autonomous region, said Taddik.
 
He urged the people in the Bangsamoro Region “to participate actively, engage in open and constructive dialogue, share your vision for the future of BARMM’s halal industry, and let us harness the collective wisdom of our diverse stakeholders to build a plan that is inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking.”
 
BPDA Director Melanie Indar mentioned that the formulation of the Halal Industry Development Plan will help bolster the region’s comparative and competitive advantages by using the local rich resources and tapping external markets.
 
“We aim to maximize the Halal market’s potential and establish the Bangsamoro region as a center of Halal goods and services,” Indar said.
 
Addressing the pressing necessity for the formulation of the Halal Plan in the region, MTIT Deputy Minister Atty. Sukarno Abas highlighted the BARMM’s potential to be the premier Halal hub or center in the Philippines.
 
“We are eyeing to capture 30% of the USD1.38 Trillion Halal Market in the ASEAN,” Abas stressed.
 
UNFAO Mindanao Sub-Office Head Mr. Dante Eleuterio reiterated its pledge of support and said, “Rest assured that we remain committed to supporting the development of the Bangsamoro Halal industry in the region until it has been realized.”
 
Meanwhile, highlights of the workshop output include the creation of seven (7) working sectors of the Halal industry namely, Islamic Finance, Halal Food, Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Travels, Halal Fashion, Halal Cosmetics, Halal Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals, and Halal Media and Entertainment.
 
The created sectors are tasked with framing the development framework of Halal industries by the formulation of vision, objective, and performance indicators, including the identification of indicative policies, programs, projects, and services.  with report from Kasan Usop, Jr./BIO