The Philippines is striving to join the world's Halal export market by adjusting its Halal certification system and bodies.
A newly launched Halal Board, established under the Philippines' 'Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016'—Ramon Lopez of Trade and Industry—will first develop a comprehensive set of guidelines on Halal certification.
Lopez said a technical working group has been set up and will develop the rules and regulations for the law's implementation. Public consultations are expected in October and November, he added.
'What is exciting is that the Halal market has a huge market of 2 billion Muslims, of which there are more than 1 million in the Philippines.' He added that its value is expected to grow to US$10 trillion by 2030.
'It has become a lifestyle product associated with health and quality attributes. One of the fastest-consuming market segments,' he said.
On another front, South Korea has turned to seeking Malaysia's Halal certification, because the country's Halal industry is still in its early stages.
Earlier this year, the Minister of Tourism revealed that measures would be taken to develop the Halal food industry and strengthen infrastructure for Halal-consumer travelers. Experts believe South Korea will become a destination for Halal-consumer travel due to the continuous spread of its pop culture.
'Over the past year, with the help of the Korean Wave, many travelers from the Middle East have grown steadily.' The minister said at a press conference, 'We must strengthen tourism infrastructure to attract more travelers from the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries, because sanctions on Iran have been lifted.'
The number of Halal-consumer travelers increased from 540,000 in 2012 to 800,000 this year.
The government department said it will cooperate with the Halal business community to expand the number of Halal-certified foods and restaurants nationwide.
Currently, only 12 restaurants are officially certified by the KMF, 8 of which are located in Seoul.
Malaysia's certification system, handled by its Halal regulatory body JAKIM, is widely used in place of a single unified standard, while the Halal industry still lacks a standard.