An advocate of Halal in Mindanao has urged Halal certifiers to reconsider their rates so that it would be easier for smaller businesses to apply for accreditation.
Marilou W. Ampuan, Universal Islamic Center president, said during the weekly Wednesdays@ Habi at Kape – Abreeza that certifiers must find ways to reduce their rates so that it would not become a huge burden for small businesses to get accredited.
“We encourage if possible consider grouping these small players so they could avail onetime fee as a group and they will just divide equally how much fees that the certifiers will charge,” Ampuan said.
The Philippines have six certifiers in the Islamic Dawa Council of the Philippines (IDCP), Halal Development Institute of the Philippines (HDIP), Mindanao Halal Authority (MinHA), Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board Inc. (MMHCBI), Halal International Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc., (HICCIP), and Prime Group.
Ampuan said the accreditation payment varies based on the kind of services, facilities and market types that the establishments are catering to.
In the guidelines for Halal certification issued by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) in 2012, “an amount of P30,000 shall be charged to the body/entity whose application for accreditation is approved” and the cost of “renewal of accreditation will be P10,000 annually, for up to five consecutive years.”
Ampuan said that she hoped that with the implementation of the new law, Republic Act 10817, which establishes the Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), accreditation will be regulated including fees.
