Quezon City, NU Online
In good tidings for Filipino Muslims, the country’s first halal slaughterhouse is about to finish, offering halal meat to neighboring countries.<>

“There is a potential to supply the BIMP-EAGA [Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area], so I encourage stakeholders to sit together and produce a Halal livestock roadmap,” Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso Alcala was quoted by Philippines Information Agency on April 14.

The pioneer facility, located in Cotabato City, will have a capacity of 15 heads for cattle, 10 heads for carabao and 40 heads for goat per hour.

It is funded under the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) livestock development program.

The slaughterhouse is expected to supply Halal products for both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers in Cotabato, Central Mindanao and even other regions.

Alcala confirmed that a special team will check livestock to facilitate in the crafting of roadmap so this can be integrated in the DA’s 2016 budget.

Catering to a large Muslim community, secretary Alcala has endorsed the request of the city veterinarian for a Halal poultry dressing plant.

“Through these interventions, we want to show to that the government is sincere in promoting lasting peace in Mindanao. . . . We want to see our brothers here no longer carrying guns, but tools in farming,” Alcala said.

The concept of halal, -- meaning permissible in Arabic -- has traditionally been applied to food.

Muslims should only eat meat from livestock slaughtered by a sharp knife from their necks, and the name of Allah, the Arabic word for God, must be mentioned.

Muslim scholars agree that Shari`ah provides a divine law of mercy that should be applied on all Allah’s creations, including animals.

Islam also provides details about avoiding any unnecessary pain.

Mindanao, the birthplace of Islam which reached the Philippines in the 13th century about 200 years before Christianity, is home to more than 5 million Muslims.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq