(PH, Brunei Joint Committee Meeting on Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion. (In photo: front, L to R): Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Manpower, and Industry of Brunei Darussalam Tutiaty Abdul Wahab with Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman.)
The Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB), with its aim to bring raw materials, processed food, and pharmaceutical products to new markets, led a Philippine delegation at the Brunei Halal Showcase (BruHAS) 2018 held from 8 to 12 August 2018 at the International Convention Center, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
Exporters from the food processing sector, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries who joined the Philippine delegation include Alter Trade Corporation, Castillejos Agrifarms, Inc., Edna and Rebecca’s Banana Chips and Coated Peanut, Fruits of Life, Inc., Year Luck Food and Industrial Corporation, Doxo Trading, Pasciolco International Inc., C and H Cosmetic Industry and Stadler Laboratories Inc.
BruHAS is an annual International Trade Expo that promotes awareness on the development of the local Halal Industry, exposure of Halal Products, and support to entrepreneurs.
In April 2017, the Philippines and Brunei signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion.
Strengthening its commitment to pursue strategic initiatives in advancing the local Halal industry, Philippine officials headed by DTI Undersecretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman attended the Joint Committee Meeting as part of the sideline activities of the country’s participation in the said Halal fair. The meeting aimed to establish a guide on the implementation of the MoU with the framework of responsibilities by both countries.
For 2018, DTI aims to strengthen the role of local Halal Industry in helping foster economic growth. The industry has advanced its initiative by engaging and strengthening bilateral relations with key markets and partners. It has gained multitude of commitment to support the industry which translated them into policy reforms. In July this year, DTI through its Philippine Accreditation Bureau (DTI-PAB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with United Arab Emirates – Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (UAE-ESMA) which aims to ease the technical barriers on trade and enable bilateral trade between the Philippines and the UAE, particularly the Halal products.
According to DTI-EMB, the MoUs on the Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion prove to be the beginning of many possibilities for the country’s Halal Industry.
