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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2020
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A recent webinar on Halal trade and
investment opportunities discussed
areas in the Halal value chain, with
great potential for joint ventures
between Brunei Darussalam and
the Philippines.
The event presented the positive
implications of cooperation between
the two countries in this sector
on the economic development of
the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-
Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN
Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Organised by the Philippines
Embassy in Brunei Darussalam and
the Department of Trade and Industry
of the Philippines, with the full
support of the Ministry of Finance and
Economy (MoFE), the event featured
presentations by four speakers
from the Zamboanga City Special
Economic Zone (ZAMBOECOZONE),
the Brunei Darussalam BIMPEAGA
Business Council (BDBEBC), Universiti
Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), and
the Department of Agriculture of
the Philippines.
Ambassador of the Philippines
to Brunei Darussalam Christopher
B Montero stated that forging
stronger cooperation in the Halal
sector represents a signiicant pillar
of trade, business and investment
interactionbetween thePhilippines and
Brunei Darussalam.
He said, “The signing of the
Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on Halal Industry and Export
Development and Promotion during
the State Visit of His Majesty Sultan
Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin
Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan
Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul
Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang
Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam
to the Philippines in April 2017, is a
manifestation of the importance of
Halal cooperation for both countries.”
“The robust connections on Halal
that result from the implementation
of the MoU do not only beneit the
Philippines and Brunei, but also
impacts profoundly on the Brunei-
Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East
ASEAN Growth Area, an area with
huge promise yet hampered by the
challenges posed by connectivity.”
Spu r r i ng Sya r i ah - comp l i an t
production and the provision of
business services would result in
more regional manufacturing and
logistics hubs, similar to the special
economic zones in the Philippines,
which in turn would indirectly address
the connectivity issues of the BIMP-
EAGA in the medium- and long-term
by serving as the basis for larger
passenger and cargo volumes.
Highlighting the role of the
Halal industry development in the
promotion of peace in the BIMP-
EAGA , Mont e ro sa i d , “From a
strategic standpoint, our intensiied
engagement in the Halal sector would
signiicantly impact on the economic
development of our communities in
southern Philippines, particularly the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of
Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“This is a critical component
towards sustaining the gains of
the peace process in Mindanao,
for which the Government of His
Majesty has been a vital partner
of the Philippines through its
l ong and ac t i ve pa r t i c i pa t i on
in the International Monitoring
Team (IMT) and the International
Decommi s s i on i ng Body ( I DB )
Board.”
Permanent Secretary (Industry) at
the Ministry of Finance and Economy
Pengiran Hajah Zety Suina binti
Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Sani
expressed that economic collaboration
is crucial today, more than ever, in
assisting the recovery of societies,
businesses and communities from the
adverse impacts of COVID19.
She encouraged both Brunei and
the Philippines “to take advantage of
the vast opportunities available in the
global Halal market, especially with the
increasing demand for Halal products
and services.”
Citing the Halal sector as being
one of the global economic drivers,
Pengiran Hajah Zety Suina recognised
the potential of bilateral cooperation
to turn both countries into leaders of
the global Halal industry and a joint
Halal hub.
“It is in the interest of the Philippines
and Brunei to look into the potential
value chains which can be utilised for
bringing positive progress, not only in
each economy but also for the larger
BIMPEAGA,” she added.
Undersecretary Abdulgani M
Macatoman from the Department
o f Tr ade and I ndus t r y o f t he
Philippines reported that progress
on the implementation of the MoU on
Halal cooperation between the two
countries is moving in the areas of
mutual recognition of Halal standards,
science and technology, Islamic
banking and inance, and Syariah-
compliant governance.
Four speakers from the Philippines
and Brunei served as resource persons
during the webinar.
The potential of ZAMBOECOZONE
to become an important production
hub for Halal products in BIMPEAGA
was discussed by its Chairman and
Administrator Raul Regondola.
In addition to the existing infra-
structure of its Asian Halal Centre,
Regondola presented the incentives
offered to international locators in
ZAMBOECOZONE, such as tax holidays
and tax ceilings.
Being the only Philippine Freeport
in the Visayas and Mindanao,
Z A M B O E C OZO N E h a s b e e n
targetting investments in poultry
farms, meat processing, and Halal
feeds manufacturing.
Deputy Chairman of BDBEBC
Captain (Rtd) Zailan bin Pehin
Datu Kerma Setia Major (Rtd) Dato
Seri Laila Jasa Mohd Don made a
presentation focussing on private
sector initiatives in establishing
production, distribution and trading
hubs for Halal products and services
in BIMPEAGA.
He s a i d t h a t BDB E BC h a s
identified supply, manufacturing and
consumer bases in the BIMP-EAGA in
its strategic platform which, when
realised, would ensure the economic
development of BIMP-EAGA and turn
it into a main Halal hub that would
have a significant role in the global
Halal market.
C a p t a i n ( R t d ) Z a i l a n a l s o
disclosed that in working towards
the realisation of their vision,
BDBEBC has signed a strategic
alliance agreement with Reefer
Express Line of the Philippines
to develop linkages among ports
Forging cooperation in Halal sector
i n B IMP- EAGA and improve
logistics services in the region.
The value of Halal authentica-
tion technologies was the main
discussion topic of Dr Nur Thaqi-
fah Salihah binti Haji Mohd Salleh
from UNISSA, who presented
various ways of preserving the
integrity of Halal products as
they go through the five stages in
the Halal value chain, from prod-
uct development to distribution
and sales.
Dr Nu r Thaq i fah Sa l i hah
presented the latest technologies
available for evaluating the safety
and quality of Halal products,
such as the Mimica Touch and
the Sentinel Wrap. She concluded
that the best technologies for
use in detection are those that
are highly sensitive, speciic
and fast.
Undersecretary of the De-
partment of Agriculture of the
Ph i l i pp i nes Zamz am L Am-
patuan expounded on the 10-
Year Halal Food Production
Programme by presenting the
priorities of each phase of the
programme focussing on poul-
try, livestock and aquaculture,
as well as future initiatives
to supply the demand of the
ASEAN market.
The webinar concluded with
testimonials from the Philippines
exporters of Halal goods who
participated in the Brunei Halal
Showcase in 2018.
The Bruneian owner of Bay
91 Café in Manila Ardy bin Haji
Abdul Momin also shared his
experiences in operating a Halal
restaurant in the Philippines.
The webinar session in progress
Webinar discusses trade, investment opportunities
between Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines.