In a roundtable discussion at Dermpath at SM City on Tuesday, Marilou Ampuan, a trustee of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, said that they are encouraging business establishments to seek for accreditation from a certifier who is accredited by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
She said that these tourism players are in the frontline who welcome the Muslim tourists when they come to visit the country.
There are only three NCMF-accredited certifiers in the country, one each for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, Ampuan added.
There are initially 10 industry players in Davao, 20 in the Visayas (10 are in Boracay Island), and 20 in Luzon who have so far signified their interest to be tapped as industry partners who will apply the principles and concepts of Halal in the production of their products and services.
Ampuan said that it would be best if the industry players will be granted with tax exemption while they are starting.
"For 2016, we want to increase the awareness of the people about Halal. We cannot tell them what to do without having the basic information about Halal,” she said.
In July 2015, the City Council amended the "Halal Ordinance” in order to advance and protect the rights, culture, and lifestyle of the Muslims.
Under the amended ordinance, food establishments that offer Halal-processed food and beverages should secure a Halal certification from an NCMF-accredited body.
Source: Minda News