| The subject of halal and haram has been an important component in the lives of Filipino Muslims since the introduction of Islam in the late 12th century. With the inclusion of Mindanao and Sulu during the 1946 granting of Philippine Independence by the Americans, the Muslims became the largest religious minority in the Philippines, a country that was Christianized by the Spaniards from the mid-16th century to the 19th century. The continuing increase of the Muslim population in Christian-dominated areas coincided with the growth of the global halal industries in the late 1980s. Muslims’ concern with halal food was gradually met by private companies who then needed halal certification from religious organizations to export their products to Islamic countries. Seeing its economic potential, the government also came up with various policies and programs to boost halal supply in the country. While these programs helped develop the halal industry, they also faced several challenges that affected the credibility of the halal products and management.Studies on halal in the Philippines mainly focused on food, industries, and policies. This paper will look into how halal was operationalized in the past and present life of Filipino Muslims and their experiences vis-à-vis the growth of halal industries propelled by various government programs and policies. It further aims to contribute appropriate policies by examining how the current programs addressed the challenges of making the country competitive in the global halal market while maintaining halal’s essential and significant meaning. |