Philippines seeks to create 120,000 new jobs, attract $4bn investments in halal industry Its primary goal is to become a premier halal hub in the Asia-Pacific by 2028 MANILA: The Philippines launched on Tuesday its Halal Industry Development Strategic Plan, aiming to double the booming industry’s output in the next four years. The predominantly Catholic Philippines is working on expanding the market presence of its halal-certified products, part of a larger strategy aimed at tapping into the global halal market, which is estimated to be worth over $7 trillion. Through a strategic plan launched on Tuesday, the Southeast Asian country is seeking to create 120,000 new jobs in the halal industry and to attract $4 billion in investments by 2028. “We aim to enrich supermarket shelves in foreign countries with Philippine halal products. The execution of our Halal Strategic Plan will see a doubling of our current 3,000 halal-certified products and services to 6,000, catering to both the burgeoning domestic demand and the global halal market,” Alfredo Pascual, secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, said during a launching event in Manila. “Halal is a sunrise industry. Halal is the future, and we want to be part of that future.” The Philippines is home to about 12 million Muslims, according to data from the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos, making it the third-largest Muslim population in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Malaysia. Its halal strategic plan seeks not only to increase industry output but to also promote the country as the fastest-growing and most halal-friendly hub in the region. “Our strategic plan is to transform the Philippines into a premier halal hub in the Asia-Pacific over the coming four years. We are paving the way for tourists … as well as our Filipino Muslim brothers and sisters, to find halal food and products throughout our country easily,” Pascual said. In positioning the Philippines as a key player in the global halal market, officials are working to overcome a number of challenges, such as the low number of halal-certified goods, services, and companies in the Philippines. From there, the country hopes to boost its exports. “To really support or help augment our exports, what we’re trying to do is have like a mutual recognition agreement with different Islamic countries to facilitate exports … We will aim for the Saudi Arabia market for our products and services,” Pascual told Arab News on the sidelines of the event. “The road ahead is indeed filled with challenges, but it is equally paved with vast opportunities. Let us envision the Philippines as a frontrunner in the worldwide halal sector, with a thriving halal ecosystem.”