SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Two hotels here have been certified by the Department of Tourism-Region 3 for passing the standard of a halal-friendly hotel.
DOT-3 director Dr. Richard Daenos, together with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority tourism manager Mary Jamelle Camba, handed the certificates of recognition to representatives of The Aurora Subic Hotel and The Mansion Garden Hotel during the SBMA flag raising ceremony at the administration building on Dec. 22.
Aurora general manager Rhett M. Villaruz and Mansion Garden Hotel Operations Manager Sheanelle F. Calayag received the certificates for their compliance with the requirements of DOT Memorandum Circular 2024-003, which provides the Amended Guidelines for Recognizing Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishments (MFAEs).
A Muslim-friendly accommodation offers prayer facilities (Qibla direction, mats, prayer rooms), halal food options (certified kitchens/meals), and amenities like water-friendly toilets and culturally sensitive staff training from official certifying bodies such as CrescentRating and local tourism departments.
Camba said the award is a testament to the capabilities of hotel establishments here in handling various needs of tourists of different religious affiliations, adding that the freeport is a viable tourist destination for clientele from different cultures and beliefs.
She added that certain key features required by the DOT in Muslim-friendly establishments include dedicated prayer rooms, Qibla direction markers in rooms, prayer mats (Sejjadah), Quran available, Islamic TV channels; halal-certified kitchens with separate utensils, and halal minibar options, or menus clearly marking halal dishes.
She also mentioned that Megaworld Hotels & Resorts were also certified under this guideline.
Other features include water-friendly toilets (bidet sprays/ water source for ablution/wudu), and staff trained in Muslim customs, availability of nearby mosque information, and culturally sensitive service. SBMA-PR
