Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque is enticing Malaysia’s halal certifying authority, the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM), to establish a world-class halal certifying body in the Philippines this year to boost the domestic halal industry.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the DTI said Roque met with Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino and JAKIM representatives on Monday to help the country align its halal sector with international standards.

Roque said establishing a halal certifying body in the Philippines that is recognized in the international market would open new opportunities for Filipino products overseas.

She also urged JAKIM to extend assistance in marketing Philippine halal products in the global market.

“With public and private partnerships, we can expect to ensure the support needed for the halal sector to flourish,” she said.

Roque said the halal industry is one of the priority sectors of the DTI and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. supports the agency’s initiatives to boost enterprises in the halal sector.

“We take advantage of the support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the halal industry. He has remaining three years and we should (take) advantage of the support he is giving,” she added.

Last year, the DTI launched the Philippine Halal Industry Development Strategic Plan, targeting to double its halal output by 2028 or to have about 6,000 halal-certified products and services in the country over the next three years.

By expanding the number of halal-certified products and services, the DTI aims to widen the country’s share in the global halal industry, to USD7.7 trillion this year.

Under the blueprint, the department targets to attract PHP230 billion in investments for the domestic halal industry and generate 120,000 new jobs. (PNA)