Challenges in the Halal Certification in the Philippines

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HALAL
Challenges in Halal Certification in the
Philippines
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Halal Concept
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• Halal is a Quranic term meaning permitted,
  allowed or lawful. Halal when used in relation
  to food and other consumer goods, means
  permissible for consumption and used by Muslims
• Haram is the opposite of halal.
• Shubhah or Mashbooh, means doubtful or suspected
• Halal and haram are serious matters in Islam

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Cont
The lives of every Muslim are guided by Shariah
Law

• Islamic Law is based on the Quran, Hadith, Ijma
  and Qiyas
• A particular food or other consumer product
  becomes halal or haram if it is considered so
  through any one of the above mentioned sources
• Fatwa (religious rulings) issued by competent
  Islamic Authorities.

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Cont

• In the selection of food and drink, Islam has
  laid down three very important guidelines
• Whether the consumption of the foodstuff is
  prohibited by Islam
• Whether the foodstuff is obtained through Halal
  or Haram means
• Whether or not the material is harmful to health

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Development of Halal Certification
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?!!!?

• Looking Back..
• Regulating food products to ensure that
• these are fit for Muslims to consume has
• been proven to be a challenging task for
• certifying bodies even in Muslim-led
• countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.
• This could be attributed to the fact that most
• food products being prepared, processed,
• manufactured, and distributed around the
• globe are mostly produced by non-Muslims
• (A W, KFC, Mc Donald's, Burger King,
• Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Delifrance and Siam
  Kitchen)

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• This is a reality that has been accepted even by
  the Muslim world
• This situation led to the enforcement of Halal
  compliance program in Muslim and even non-Muslim
  countries which rapidly took shape in the 1980s
  and 1990s and continuing even to this day
• The imposition of these Halal regulations are
  believed to have actually triggered the
  development of Halal industry on a global scale

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A Hard Start for the Country..

• While Halal certification in the country has been
  
• sparingly practiced in the last 20 years or so,
• it was only recently that its importance are
• beginning to be recognized by the government
• and the business sector for the tremendous
• opportunities that a vibrant Halal industry can
• bring to the economy

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• But despite the initiative to jumpstart a
  home-grown Halal industry in the Philippines
  since it was
• launched six years ago, much work has yet to
• be done to make a significant inroads into this
• emerging and globalizing industry

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• Our country has managed so far to churn out
  only about 400 Halal certified products produced
  by some 55 companies a number of these supposed
  Halal-compliant products are still subject of
  suspicion of being not Halal at all

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The Challenges
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The Constraint.

• In the eyes of the Muslim world, the Philippines
  is very much a non-Muslim country and that
  forbidden (haram) food and drinks are widely
  produced, catered, and distributed all throughout
  the country even in Muslim communities
• Halal certification in the country is still
  struggling to be at par with international
  practices

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Taking on the hard task.

• Halal certifiers for its part, given the
  fast-paced
• development in the food industry, are confronted
  
• with issues and concerns in food products
  involving.

• the presence of alcohol and gelatin in food
  products
• feed ingredients used in livestock and marine
  production
• pork being mixed into beef as patties and
  processed meat
• lard used as frying oil
• shortening in bakery products

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• pigskin as extenders in manufactured meat
  products
• phosphate in canned tuna
• lecithin in drinks
• vanilla flavors in cakes and ice cream
• pork enzyme in popular food seasoning
• gmo-tainted food products
• the use of stunning and mechanical knife in
  livestock and poultry
• cross contamination in food production and
  processing
• and a host of other concern that would require
  thorough and diligent scrutiny.

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Health and well being of Muslims and non-Muslims
alike .

• Halal certifiers are likewise wary of the more
  than 14,000 chemicals and additives used in the
  modern day food supply
• hormonal and antibiotic residues in meat products
• preservatives and food coloring in canned meat
  and prepared foods
• pesticide residues in soft drinks
• harmful chemicals and banned antibiotics in
  aquaculture products
• and biotoxins, viruses, pathogenic bacteria and
  chemical contaminants in sea foods.

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As an internal concern, Halal certifiers are
expected to re-equip themselves by

• investing in organizational strengthening
• investing in raising technical competence of its
  people
• investing in continuing training and field
  exposures
• investing in participation to Halal symposia
  here and abroad
• investing in research and education
• investing in continuing capability-building
• and a continuing review and upgrading of its
  current practices and procedures to cope up with
  new developments in the food industry

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As an external concern, Halal certifiers are
still faced with .

• low appreciation and understanding of Halal
  certification by food producers and manufacturers
• Outright rejection of some requirements in Halal
  compliance (Muslim Employees in the production
  side)
• Varying degrees of competence and sophistication
  employed by Halal certifiers in product
  evaluation and processes
• The existence of a number of certifiers with more
  seeking registration as Halal certifying bodies
• No indication of Halal value chain being
  introduced in food production and distribution
• Halal logo being indiscriminately and brazenly
  placed on food products without independent third
  party attestation
• Rampant claim of food as Halal without proof

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Coming of Age .

• The promulgation of the Philippine National
  Standards on Halal Food in February 28, 2008 was
  a breakthrough in the sense that both the
  industry and certifying bodies would now have
  common references and benchmarks in Halal
  compliance in relation to the production and
  processing of food
• Intensified Halal education program is underway
  and being implemented nationwide by the
  Department of Trade and Industry
• Halal consumers are now being organized

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• Food organizations are now taking strong interest
  in learning more about the requirements and
  processes involve in Halal certification
• Both certifiers and food industry players are
  attending Halal conferences and food exhibitions
  here and abroad
• Testing laboratories have signed up to support
  halal certification requirements
• Some certifiers have established collaboration
  with foreign counterparts and other institutions

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Recommendation
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A call for unified action ..

• For stakeholders to get its act together
• For Halal certifiers to shape up and provide
  authentic and reliable Halal certification
• For the food sector to take pro- active role in
  the production and promotion of Halal products
• Harmonize all efforts to bring about a holistic
  approach in developing our very own home-grown
  Halal food industry
• To do the certification as an act of Ibadah
  (worship) and not just for money purposes alone

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Thank You
Presented Ustadz Esmael W. Ebrahim,MPA Managing
Director Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board