50 Restos Tapped To Go Halal Complete Initial Assessment — DOT

Around 50 hotels, resorts and restaurants being tapped to go halal-friendly by April this year have completed the initial assessment done by halal certifiers, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Monday.

DOT Assistant Secretary Art Boncato Jr. said he was certain that these 50 hotels, resorts and restaurants from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Boracay will receive halal-certification in time for Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 on April 7.

“The process happened starting January 2015. From its first phase which is orientation, pre-audit, we are now in the second phase which is compliance and post-audit,” Boncato said.

This move is part of the department’s efforts under the Philippine Halal Tourism Project which is meant to make the Philippines a Muslim-friendly destination by tapping into the growing halal-conscious traveling markets worldwide.

Boncato said that this effort will encourage not only foreign Muslim tourists to visit the Philippines but also the estimated 10 million Muslim Filipinos.

The Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines (HICCIP) is the official certifier of The Philippine Halal Tourism Project.

HICCIP is an accredited halal certifier of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) and is working on global recognition such as the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapora (MUIS) that has recognized HICCIP in 2015. (PNA) BNB/ANP