Muslim agency nixes 'Halal law signed by P'Noy

COTABATO CITY -THE National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) is opposed to Republic Act 10817 which President Aquino has signed into law Thursday (May 19).The NCMF in a statement said it vehemently opposes the enactment of the law, RA 1081, titledand An Act Instituting the Philippine Halal Export Development andPromotionProgram, Creating for the Purpose the Halal Export Development Board, and for Other Purposes.”Amer Hussien Macatbar Sisomangcop, NCMF Development Management Officer, broke to the Filipino Muslim public the news on Mr. Aquino’s signing of RA 10817, which he described as an Anti-Muslim, Anti-Halal Law. The NCMF particularly protests its token” role, being only second in rank to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), whose secretary is to chair the Halal Export Development Board (HEDB) under the new law. Halal, is a classic Arabic term used in the Qur’an, the Holy Book of the Muslims, which literally means permissible” or lawfully allowed” as applied to food or non-food products, and in financial transactions.According to a report, published late last year by the World Halal Forum, global trade in halal food and beverages has hit a potential global market worth of around USD 1.4 trillion annually.The agency’s official said in House Bill No. 6347, a Philippine Halal Accreditation, Development and Promotion Board was previously designed to be under the NCMF.Under the new Philippines law, the HEDB is headed by the DTI Secretary, with the Secretary of NCMF as Vice-Chairman. Two other agencies—National Meat Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture (NMIS-DA) for food products, and the Bureau of Food and Drugs of the Department of Health (BFD-DoH) for non-food products—are members, along with two Muslim presidential appointees, nominated from the academe.The House of Representatives and the Senate have consolidated RA 10817 from Senate Bill 2831 and House Bill 6347, authored by Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar and his mother, Senator Cynthia Villar. It has been passed the in substitution to Senate Bills 294, 312, 1130 and 1885, authored by then Senate President Manuel Villar, according to congressional sources, who did not want to be named in this story for lack of authority to speak on the issue.The NCMF statement said, (T)his (HEDB) effectively weakens the NCMF because it takes away the function of the Commission to promote and develop the Philippine Halal Industry for the utmost benefit of Muslim Filipinos.”Muslim individuals commenting on the NCMF statement said a Senate version of the Halal Bill (SB 2187), authored by then Senate President Manuel Villar, was more acceptable to the Filipino Muslims, since it creates a Governing Council, Chaired by DTI and Co-Chaired by one of two Muslim scholars, who are Presidential appointees and with NCMF and DA as members.But beyond the domestic welfare of the Filipino Muslims,” the law designs the Halal Board with a very powerful set of mandates that include spearhead(ing) and support (to) the forging of international agreements, and the recognition of accredited (Philippines) Halal certification bodies in other countries, to open new and expand existing markets for Halal products, processes and services.”But in this, Disomangcop said, the government even using the new law, could not just dismiss the NCMF with a token” position of a vice-chairman Halal Export Development Board.Disomangcop saidand To be a halal accrediting body,like the NCMF, one must be recognized by the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) halal arm, which is the SMIIC or the Standard Metrology Institute of Islamic Countries.He said under their regulations, members (holding) technical positions (should) be all practicing Muslim. Only the NCMF can ensure the public that all members of the Board are Practicing Muslim. In fact (the SMIIC) ensures that one (NCMF) Commissioner represents the Religious Sector. (Some) NCMF (officials have) undergone studies on Islamic Jurisprudence. This cannot be done by any government (agency), including the DTI,” he added.The law also provides for the issuance of an official Philippine Halal Logo and the guidelines on (its) proper use , without prejudice (to)the use of logos (by certifying) bodies on certified products, processes and services.” It also prescribes that ( A)ll other government agencies are prohibited to issue a logo and require the use of such logo as proof of compliance to a standard or regulation as Halal and the use of logos previously issued by government agencies involved in Halal development and promotion is hereby disallowed.”Abdulatif Samod Sangcopan, chief executive officer of the private-run Halal Development Institute of the Philippines (HDIP) also cautioned of what he described as vested interest” in some government agencies, where certain groups are favored for Philippine-based accreditation, because of the huge potentials of halal food and non-food products in overseas market.The NCMF said the law fails to pay due regard to the religious significance of Halal to Muslim Filipinos and the rest of the Muslim world.”But Muslims individuals involved in the development of halal industry in the country said there should be a separate legislation on the secular benefits of halal procedures as established by science of wellness in cleanliness and hygiene as well as compassion in a humane process of slaughtering halal animal, prescribed by Sharia.(Nash B. Maulana)