1. religion and spirituality
2. islam

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HALAL
Challenges in
Halal Certification
in the Philippines
 Halal is a Qur’anic 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
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.
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
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, M’c Donald's, Burger King,
Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Delifrance and Siam Kitchen)
?!!!?
•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
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
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
• 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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
Presented:
Ustadz Esmael W. Ebrahim,MPA
Managing Director
Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board