Alternative to making hamburger

Making the MOST out of Halal

House Bill No. 569 may seem inconsequential to the regular Jose dela Cruz,
but if this bill gets passed, the Philippines may largely benefit in
marketing itself to a largely untapped market that has yet to be exploited.
This is an emerging market that’s been in existence since the start of
Christianity, but has never been seriously taken in consideration, until
now. This is a lucrative market that holds an unwavering and terribly loyal
demographic numbering 1.9 billion strong and is worth $150 million dollars
in Asia alone. And while this bill is seriously being shopped around
Congress, a new start-up school in Quezon City is already poised in the
forefront as the leading school that will embody the preparedness of
Filipinos to this bill.

House Bill No. 569 is aimed to institutionalize the Halal system in the
Philippines. “Halal” is a Arabic term that means “permissible” or allowable
for Muslims to consume if it deals with food. Essentially, the “Halal”
system is a prescribed set of laws detailing the proper preparation,
handling, packaging and cooking of food for its devotees of the Moslem
faith. “Halal” is quite similar to the way “kosher” is to the Jews. It has
basic rules and regulations, though strictly adhered to by practitioners.
This is all in keeping to the Islamic dietary laws found in the Quran,
Hadith (sayings and practices of prophet Muhammad) and in the fiqh
(jurisprudence) of the Muslim jurists. The opposite of Halal is Haram which
means unlawful and prohibited for Muslims, while mushbooh foods are
questionable, and therefore considered taboo.

With demand of halal increasing through the years, the bill’s author -- Rep.
Hussin Amin (Lakas, Sulu) -- hopes to open new doors of opportunities for
Filipinos to most Muslim-dominated (and affluent) countries like Malaysia,
Indonesia, and Arab countries like United Arab Emirates. If this bill is
passed, the Philippines may become a major exporter of food products
accepted by followers of the Islamic religion. Under the bill, general
guidelines for a Philippine Halal system will be established as officiated
by a Philippine Halal Executive Council as created to carry out these
guidelines.

With structuring of locally-sanctioned Halal institutions underway, a
culinary school that is barely a year old takes the initiative and helps
pave the way for a generation of Halal-abiding culinarians to pioneer this
movement in the country. Metropolitan Occupational Science and Technology
Institute (or commonly referred to as MOST Institute) is the first and only
culinary arts school offering “Halal Certification Program” recognized by
the Office on Muslim Affairs (which is the true officiating body in anything
Muslim-related). This program is headed by a Filipino Halal-licensed Moslem
chef Abdulatif Sangcupan working with a team of Asian Moslem and non-Moslem
Chefs.

The Halal Certification Program (Specialization/Co- Requisite Program) is an
ongoing three-month course covering every aspect of Halal-based food
preparation based on traditional Muslim practices. According to the school’s
literature, “the program revolves around the concept of "Halal is Healthy
and Universal." The course is then ideal for those who intend to pursue
kitchen employment abroad especially in Muslim countries. This is a
familiarization program that not only stresses the demands of Halal food
preparation but also introduces the student in various regional cuisines of
Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Muslim Africa. This course is also
especially valuable to those who are planning Halal-based food businesses to
be marketed locally and abroad.

MOST Institute is backed with a faculty staff of seasoned chefs, both local
and foreign kitchen professionals. Most of them completed culinary arts
education and have strong restaurant backgrounds. It is also home to a
diverse student body. With a wide age range of 18 to 45 years old students,
professionals, housewives and hobbyists, MOST Institute prides itself in
being an equal opportunity establishment.

The Halal Program has recently started in April 2005 and previously had
advertised in a major daily, with a new class soon to follow.

Mel Obispo, the school’s co-founder and President, is optimistic about this
program. “Though the general public has yet to fully understand the
significance of what “halal” is, one cannot simply discount its importance,
especially for those who service the hospitality industry. With such a
burgeoning market ready to explode, the Philippines should familiarize
themselves on this way of life and embrace it, if they truly want to be
competitive in the global market.”

Obispo cites an example where the management of a local 5-star hotel was
dumbfounded to find their Muslim guests going out for their meals, not
knowing where they eat. They simply don’t know where they go. This is not
only a sign of the hotel’s inability to fully accommodate their guests
thereby creating a loss in business. But this is also indicative of an
embarrassing lack of foresight.

With the influx of Muslim tourists in the country, Obispo expects hotels to
start shaping up and have their establishments Halal-certified. And if one
has to be certified, they would then need people who are knowledgeable of
the system in order to function properly. With only a few learned experts
in the local field, demand will surely grow. This is a demand that MOST
Institute would only be happy to supply. This is what Obispo and his
colleagues at MOST envision in a few years.

A lot of people tend to trivialize Halal, saying that catering to the
practice will benefit only a few. But with a demographic that reaches more
than a billion, that export business suddenly seems so rosy. Moreover,
observing Halal regulations might appear to be tedious and a formidable
hassle to the uninitiated. For one thing, items that produce or even come
into contact with alcohol or pork (among other forbidden animals) are
strictly forbidden. Even plates that have been a vessel for anything
forbidden cannot be used for service!

But despite these apparent hindrances, Halal -- when properly done --
actually promotes a healthy lifestyle. There are significant religious and
practical reasons for the abstention of all things haram for Muslims. The
Quran, for one, contains several passages that warn against intoxication.
Intoxication impairs reason. When this happens, it leads to harmful effects
on personal health, as well as exacerbate negative social and familial
implications. In the Quran, Allah urges Muslims to partake of the "good
things" that have been provided for them.

In a culinary sense, Halal foods lend itself to one of the most healthful
cooking around. Generally, Islamic dietary laws demand freshness,
cleanliness and a humane way in getting their food. Obispo reiterates the
idea of “farm to plate” in the curriculum -- that there shouldn’t be too
much intermediaries that go between food source and the consumer, thereby
ensuring high quality and maintain preservation of freshness.

Despite the strict adherence to certain types of foods, the Islamic Dietary
Laws are amazingly wholesome. New products being introduced in the market is
growing and more information on foods becomes available as laws are changed
and improved. The Muslim Local Council or Halal Certifying Body works on
certifying appropriate foods as halal and determining which foods are haram
and mushbooh. The process of investigation is complex; the Certifying Body
investigates all contents of products, the cleaning procedures of production
and packing equipment, and conducts site audits of all production/processing
sites to verify compliance with the Islamic Dietary Laws. Every aspect of a
product is researched-from its raw ingredients to trace ingredients that
encounter a product in the manufacturing and packaging processes.

According to Chef Abdulatif Sangcupan, “Halal diet is not monotonous. The
menu, if truly studied, can be nutritious, flavorful and diverse. Halal food
varies across the map, as each region has its favorite traditional recipes.
One will be surprised how exciting the possibilities would be. Halal foods
are varied. Muslims can eat milk, fish, non-intoxicating plants, fresh or
frozen vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts. Meat from chicken, goat, deer,
ducks and cows are halal if they are slaughtered according to Islamic rites,
the Zabihah. The only tricky thing about it is when Muslims eat out. “We
(Muslims) must be very careful because we don’t know where the food came
from. We have to know how the food came about. If we are unsure about the
food, we cannot eat there. That’s why a Halal seal is needed, because we
are sure that the food can be eaten by Muslim.”

Another compelling factor is the character of its target market.
Business-wise, you have a captive audience. Brand loyalty here is assured.
Muslims are beholden by law to patronize products that ONLY have the Halal
seal, and nothing else. In Muslim countries like Malaysia, where Halal is
more ubiquitous, once an establishment is certified as such, patrons
religiously come and eat at the place. No questions asked.

With the “halal system” gradually keeping a foothold in the Philippines,
more and more businesses will want to create lucrative businesses around it.
It may also revitalize the hospitality industry in our country and make the
Philippines more hospitable to Muslems. With possibilities becoming a
reality.
MOST Institute will definitely be there and ready to serve that need.

The MOST Institute is a member of the KENON Culinary Arts Education System
USA, the National Restaurants Association and the Association of Human
Resources Managers in hotels, Restaurants Industry. Besides the Office on
Muslim Affairs, the course is also accredited by the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

For more information about Halal, direct your browser to the Office Of
Muslim Affairs website http://www.oma.tripod.com/ and Chef Abdulatif
Sangcupan website:
http://members.tripod.com/chef_tato/whatishalalassurancesystem/

If you would like to know more about the Halal Certification Program, please
contact MOST Institute at telephone numbers 438-94-65 or 911-5122. MOST
Institute is located at the 2nd Floor, ELI Building, 6th Avenue corner
Bonnie Serrano, Murphy Quezon City.

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As providence would have it, the Moviepooper shares the same sentinment.

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