"Less than a year ago today, we decided to stop talking about halal and start doing something about it. This project has been very successful in the sense that it created an awareness, a Halal consciousness, among the Filipinos first, and the halal travel market as well", Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. was quoted as saying during "The Philippine Halal Tourism Project" launching at the opening day of Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 in SMX Convention Center, Pasay City on April 7. In less than 100 days, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has worked with National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (HICCIP) and CrescentRating, to prepare the kitchens and facilities of 43 hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other tourism-related establishments in Manila, Cebu, Boracay, Davao, Bohol, Zamboanga City, General Santos City, Koronadal, Cotabato City, Surigao City, and Siargao Island, to be halal-certified. "The best and most important welcome to the visitors is with food. And if you are not halal, then there is a very important segment of society in the world that you are not extending a proper welcome to", explains the tourism chief. The Department of Tourism (DOT) has set its sights on seeking a larger slice of the global Halal tourism market. Citing a recent Crescent Rating data that sees the 117 million Muslim travelers to rise to 168 million by 2020, Secretary Jimenez shared, "The Philippines is one of the countries in Southeast Asia that is determined to partake 20 to 25 percent of the $200 billion global Halal market. The market is already there, with arrivals from Malaysia, for one, growing at double-digit rate. The only thing that is wanting is capacity." Secretary Yasmin Lao of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) lauded the DOT's commitment to advancing the Halal industry, citing that DOT Secretary Jimenez has once again shown political will in efficiently implementing "The Halal Tourism Project" in less than 100 days. "I strongly believe that ‘The Halal Tourism Project' will lead towards a way Muslim-Filipinos feel that they are so very much part of this country" the NCMF Secretary added, citing that halal will be a "game changer" in terms of economic development of Muslim-Filipinos. The Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (HICCIP) is the official halal certification body in the country recognized by the NCMF to spearhead the local accreditation of participating halal establishments, while CrescentRating is a Singapore-based leading authority on Muslim travel recognized for its independent rating and accreditation standard worldwide.
