The number of Muslim-friendly restaurants, accommodations, and tourism destinations in Davao City is growing.
Marilou Ampuan, vice chairperson of the Regional Halal Committee and vice president of the Mindanao-Tourism Congress of the Philippines, said on Monday that as to date there are more than 30 establishments that are Muslim-friendly in the city.
The certified Muslim-friendly establishment provides Halal options in their menu items that are suitable for Muslim customers.
“Last Friday, naa ta’y restaurant and accommodation na gi showcase na karon as Muslim-Friendly destination because naa na sila’y qibla, specific room para sa Muslim tourists and separate prayer room for Muslim men and women,” she said during the Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Davao on Monday.
She said some establishments were Halal certified that renewed their certifications.
“These are establishments that adopted the Halal certifications during former DOT 11 regional director Art Boncato and who renewed their certifications,” she said.
In September last year, the Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Entrepreneurship (IChef) was certified as a Halal-certified academe-based Culinary Lab Kitchen in Mindanao by the Halal certification and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Certification from Dubai-based Halal certifying body Prime Group of Companies.
“Those establishments na gustong mag order ug Halal food puwedeng magamit ning Halal kitchen sa IChef so that we can claim na ang food na atoang i-serve is Halal,” Ampuan said.
The kitchen of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is also Halal-certified.
Ampuan said the Regional Halal Committee aims to help the MSMEs understand why there is a need for them to make their products Halal-certified.
“Gi push gyud nato na if possible masabtan sa atong industry players kung unsa ning Halal ug kinsa ang maka benefit ug unsa ang kaayuhan ang maani. As of now for the services ang pinu-push natin specially sa tourism aspect ay Muslim-Friendly tourism destination kasi walay Halal certification services for tourism only Muslim-friendly destination,” she said.
Halal is an Arabic term which means permissible or lawful in Islam. About food, it is the Islamic dietary standard, as prescribed in the Shari’ah (Islamic Law).
Ampuan said there is a need to prepare and push Davao City as a Halal hub in the country to capture the domestic and international Muslim market specially since Qatar Airways has recently resumed flights to Davao from Doha.
