DA-10 convenes stakeholders, partners for stronger Halal food industry in NorMin

 

ILIGAN CITY — The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) recently convened with sector stakeholders and partner government agencies to discuss refined strategies and initiatives geared toward the development of the region’s Halal food industry.

In an assessment spearheaded by the DA through its Halal Food Industry Development Program (HFIDP) on November 27 to 28 here, various micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), hotel and restaurant owners, representatives from the Local Government of Iligan City and its City Agriculture Office, as well as partner government agencies and other stakeholders bared their programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) in line with the shared goal of developing the Halal food industry in Northern Mindanao.

Launched in 2018, the HFIDP is among the Department’s banner programs that aims to develop the country’s Halal Industry and enhance the global competitiveness of existing and potential exporters of Halal products, processes, and services.

DA-10 Provincial Operations Center chief for Lanao del Norte Engr. Abdulharis P. Paporo, who also serves as the alternate focal person of the HFIDP, said that the activity enables the Department as well as its partners to position themselves to better serve the public, particularly entrepreneurs and consumers of Halal products.

Further, Paporo said that the two-day activity serves as an opportunity to benchmark on best practices to ensure consumer protection and safety, enhance the capabilities of Halal enterprises and exporters, thereby increasing participation in the global economy.

As the event’s resource speaker, Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines President and CEO Ustadz Alexander M. Sultan, PhD also discussed the general concepts and principles of Halal, the goals and objectives of Halal certification, as well as its detailed certification process for interested enterprises.

Capping off the assessment, participating partner agencies expressed their commitment for the program and the Halal food industry as a whole, especially in the promotion of Iligan City as one of the country’s leading Halal-Certified hubs.# (GDA)