Growing demand from South Korea for Philippine halal-certified products is expected to open new export opportunities for Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), according to National Commission on Muslim Filipinos-Davao (NCMF-Davao) Regional Director Arch. Sherrila Porza-Sawah.
Sawah said the interest from Korean buyers became evident during her recent participation in a halal exposition in South Korea, where stakeholders questioned the lack of Philippine halal products in their market.
“In fact, I’ve been to Korea recently. So, yun nga, I went there for the Halal Expo. So, what happened is that, ang Korea is that they wanted, na sabi nila, ‘why is that that there’s no Philippine halal, halal products here in the Korean market?’ So, they are kumbaga, gusto nila magkaroon ng halal products doon,” Sawah told Edge Davao.
She said this signals a clear opportunity for Philippine MSMEs to enter the expanding global halal industry, although she noted that strict certification and testing standards remain a major hurdle.
Sawah pointed out that officials from Halal Korea Limited have raised concerns over the limited presence of Philippine halal-certified goods in South Korea.
She added that even products from established halal-producing countries like Malaysia undergo stringent evaluation before being approved in the Korean market.
Despite these challenges, Sawah said ongoing discussions aim to strengthen cooperation between Philippine and South Korean halal stakeholders.
She said the NCMF Central Office is considering inviting officials of Halal Korea Limited to take part in a Halal Summit in Manila in September.
Sawah also suggested inviting MSMEs from across the Philippines to participate in the event to showcase their products and connect with potential international buyers and partners.
“Nag-suggest din ako na why not also invite some MSMEs, from all over the Philippines para makapunta doon at makita nila, makita ng ibang partners. So, maybe they will get interested. So, kumbaga matulungan natin itong ating mga MSMEs,” she said.
She emphasized that NCMF-Davao continues to conduct halal awareness campaigns to help businesses better understand the sector’s economic potential.
“It is a trillion-dollar opportunity itong halal,” she said.
Sawah said halal certification could significantly boost market access and improve the global competitiveness of local enterprises.
The NCMF-Davao has previously worked with Malaysian halal experts in promoting awareness and encouraging more businesses to pursue certification.
Looking forward, she said the commission aims to engage more players in the food industry, including major establishments, to address the country’s limited supply of halal-certified fast-food options.
“So, that’s one of the challenge because we wanted tourists to come here, especially the BIMP-EAGA. But to be honest, we have challenge kasi they are really strict when it comes to food. Just like, like last time, they came here, ‘Is there a fast, halal fast food here?’ Wala tayong mapakita,” she said.
She added that halal certification benefits not only Muslim consumers but also the wider market.
“And the good thing, halal is not just for Muslims, it’s for everyone,” she said.
