BIMP gab to tackle halal standards

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao — Newly drafted halal standards of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be among the topics to be discussed in the Aug. 23-26 conference of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines (BIMP) economic tie-up in Palawan.

The halal standards, formulated by chemists, engineers, foreign-trained clerics, agriculturists and physicians, are meant to ensure the palatability of meat and poultry products that will be exported to Muslim countries.

In Islam, the term halal means "permitted," referring to food which Muslims can eat.

Palawan will host the third BIMP-EAGA Natural Resources Development Cluster meeting, to be held under the supervision of Presidential Deputy Assistant for Mindanao Virgilio Leyretana, who is also the concurrent chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council.

Among those who have confirmed their attendance in the conference are Haji Mohammad Yussof Bin Haji Mohiddin of Brunei’s Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources; Rismansyah Danasaputra of the Indonesian agriculture ministry, and key officials of Sabah, Malaysia.

Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn have jointly organized a secretariat to help Leyretana oversee the three-day event.

The Philippines will be represented in the meeting by Leyretana, Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel Paras, Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Undersecretary Guillermo Balce of the Department of Energy.

Lawyer Ishak Mastura, the ARMM’s trade secretary, said the halal standards will govern the operations of the regional halal certification board.

ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan will exercise ministerial control of the board, which will certify if meat and poultry products to be sold in local and foreign markets are halal, or processed in accordance with Islamic rules.

Mastura said the halal standards will complement the efforts of the BIMP to help market the region’s meat and poultry products to Europe and Middle East.