The World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) successfully hosted the Business Broadcast: The Halal Economy Forum – From Farm to Finance, gathering over a hundred government officials and business leaders to explore the expansive opportunities within the Halal ecosystem. The forum cemented the message that “Halal is no longer just a religious designation—it is a national development strategy.”
Officials and industry experts highlighted Halal’s powerful framework for inclusive growth, food security, and ethical finance. With a robust agricultural base and strategic location, the Philippines is well-positioned to become a competitive Halal hub in the Asia Pacific, tapping into both a growing domestic Muslim market and rising demand from export markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.
The morning session emphasized Halal food production, compliance with international standards, and market access for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
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Market Success: Ms. Juhainah Javier of Mubarak Fresh Foods shared her journey, demonstrating how Halal certification increased her daily production from two kilos to over 100 kilos, underscoring the credibility and market access that certification provides.
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Government Commitment: Engr. Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, Undersecretary for Regulations and Infrastructure at the Department of Agriculture, stressed that Halal offers a pathway to food security, export competitiveness, and rural empowerment. He cited the domestic Halal food demand at over ₱6.6 billion annually and the government’s commitment to supporting Halal-compliant infrastructure, including a ₱350-million poultry facility.
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Quality Standard: Undersecretary Ampatuan stated, “Halal is a standard of hygiene, ethics, and quality. Our farmers are ready to meet that standard.”
The afternoon session shifted focus to the integration of Halal/Islamic finance.
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Dual Banking System: Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines, delivered the keynote, noting that Islamic finance is a scalable, ethical framework supporting inclusive development. He highlighted Malaysia’s success in building a dual banking system, demonstrating how Islamic finance can coexist with conventional models.
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Institutionalization: Atty. Arifa Alah of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provided clarity on Islamic banking principles. Meanwhile, Dr. Aleem Siddiqui M. Guiapal, Program Head of the Philippine Halal Industry Development at the Department of Trade and Industry, urged the institutionalization of Islamic finance to attract ethical capital and support Halal enterprises, citing the successful 2023 issuance of a $1-billion Sukuk bond.
The forum directly aligned with the Philippine Halal Industry Development Strategic Plan 2023–2028, which aims to double Halal-certified output, generate 120,000 jobs, and attract ₱230 billion in investments.
WTCMM’s Business Broadcast platform reaffirmed its role as a strategic venue for dialogue and collaboration, deepening the national conversation on building an economy anchored on ethics, inclusivity, and sustainable growth.
The event was supported by the Department of Trade and Industry – Halal Office, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Maybank Philippines, Etiqa Philippines, Miguelitos, and M Catering.
