Friday, March 02, 2007

Japan invites top ARMM execs for study visit on Malaysia's Halal industry

In support to the halal industry development thrust of the ARMM Regional Government, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-Malaysia has extended an invitation to some key officials of the region to participate in a study visit on Halal Certification Process and Halal Industry Development from 5th to 9th of March 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The main purpose of the visit is to enable participants to take a close observation of Malaysia’s halal industry, particularly study its stringent halal certification process with the help of JAKIM. It can be recalled that as a result of Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan’s visit to the Malaysian State of Malacca, JAKIM , Malaysia’s halal certifying body, agreed to extend technical aid to the region’s halal industry development.

The establishment of a vibrant halal industry is one of the major thrusts being pushed by the Ampatuan administration to help jumpstart sound economic growth and social development in the region. Governor Ampatuan said in his first state of the region address that “the ARMM will take a lead role in the growth of halal food industry in the region, considering its huge potential markets in the East Asian Growth Area region and elsewhere.”

The national government is likewise supportive of this endeavor. The vision of making ARMM as the halal-based food production and processing center of the country is included in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010. This move is in line with the effort to establish Mindanao as the Philippine’s prime agri-fishery export zone.

Among those slated to participate in the study visit are DTI-ARMM Asst. Sec. Engr. Marites Maguindra, Dr. Abubacar Datumanong, Engr. Mlang Madal, DAF-ARMM Director for Special Concern Iskak Paguital and Ustaz Esmal Ebrahim of the Darul-Ifta. A delegation from the recently created Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board (MMHCB) will also be joining the group in the visit.

“We are very optimistic that the study visit will have definitive contributions in so far as the development of our halal industry is concerned,” said Regional Governor Ampatuan. (BPI-ARMM)

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