News From : DagangHalal.com (19 Jan 2010)
THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) urged the private sector to explore prospects of going into halal food production, which is also in step with the goals set in the updated Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).
In a statement, Neda Acting Director General Augusto Santos explained that halal products are food and non-food items that are sanctioned under Islamic law as “ritually fit” to be sold or served to Muslims.
Santos said that in the MTPDP, Mindanao is envisioned to be the center for halal food production, with the intention of tapping the emerging export markets for halal food products.
“We are encouraging the Philippine private sector to find out if there are opportunities for Philippine businesses to go into the global halal market,” Santos said during the recent visit of new Pakistan Ambassador to the Philippines Mohsin Razi in Neda.
Santos said Pakistan is the second- largest Muslim country in the world, and as such, one of the potential markets for the export of halal products.
During his visit, Razi expressed his government’s desire to be a full dialogue partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Philippines’ bid to become an observer in the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Razi added that the 17-member delegation of the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) will visit Pakistan this week, upon the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari, to learn about the country’s peace process and how these could be done in Mindanao.
The BUC, which was tapped by the Philippine government to spearhead a civil-society initiative for peace and development in Mindanao, is composed of Mindanao members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Ulama League of the Philippines and the National Council of Churches of the Philippines.
Razi said the Philippines and Pakistan were among the first countries to establish foreign relations in 1949. Both countries are also known in the international community for their approaches toward achieving peace and development through interfaith dialogue.