00:00 Promoting inclusivity regardless of faith is in the working agenda of the Marcos administration.
00:06 Thus, the Department of Trade and Industry is working hard to secure halal certifications for
00:11 many micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs. Soojin Kim supplies the details.
00:18 The Department of Trade and Industry is pursuing the roadmap to give micro,
00:24 small and medium enterprises or MSMEs the opportunity to receive halal certifications and financing.
00:31 "As the head of our Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry,
00:35 under the program of Halal Industry Development, we are pursuing the roadmap
00:40 to have a target specifically on investment of around P230 billion investment from 2023 to 2028
00:52 and to have 120,000 jobs."
00:55 For Muslims, halal implies something is permissible or permitted to do or to have.
01:00 For instance, when an animal is being slaughtered for food, it will have to undergo a ritual or a
01:05 blessing before the process is undertaken. Another example is with financing. Adding
01:11 interest to loans or credit instruments is not allowed. Being halal is an end-to-end market.
01:16 It encompasses not just food but covers industries such as tourism, production, logistics,
01:22 pharmaceuticals and fashion.
01:23 "Halal certified products are really confident and can be consumed because it involves
01:32 religious values. Muslims, especially those who have high faith, are really passionate about food.
01:39 And like what Alin said earlier, halal is not just about food, it surpasses all aspects of life."
01:48 Right now, there are only two certifying bodies accredited by the Department of
01:52 Trade and Industry, the Prime Certification Body as well as the Korea-based Halal Certification
01:57 Body International Certification Center. The DTI and the Halal Development Industry aim to forge
02:04 more partnerships with different agencies to strengthen the National Commission on Muslim
02:08 Filipinos.
02:09 "Halal industry is a value addition to the current FDI of the country. So,
02:14 SMEs that we are planning to export, we are looking at market share. If we want to export
02:22 MSMEs to these countries, to the region that we mentioned, the halal seed is very, very important."
02:30 Right now, there are 1,825 products that have received halal certifications,
02:35 capturing a market of about 10 to 12 million Filipinos.
02:38 Soojin Kim for The Nation.
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