Month: June 2018

It is therefore necessary for regulatory agencies to undertake the RIA process which involves problem definition, setting the objectives, identifying options (from doing nothing or status quo to other options), impact analysis (cost-benefit analysis), comparing options, and implementation and monitoring.

World Bank strongly suggests that regulatory agencies must subject any proposed regulation to the regulatory impact assessment (RIA), a tool that ensures the quality of regulations through a rigorous, well-defined and evidence-based analysis.

RIA is a process and a document to “clean” the rules particularly those involving high regulatory risks that reduce investment and competition; high transaction costs due to a complex, multi-layered, often arbitrary rules that are vulnerable to corruption; too little market regulation, poor enforcement, and under-institutionalization in policy areas as consumer and environmental protection; and checks and balances, such as  an effective judiciary which are weak, harming new entrants.

In a recent training on RIA, World Bank emphasizes that a good regulation should be  focused on policy problem,  introduced when necessary and proportionate to the risk posed by the policy problem, accountable  to those affected by  the regulation and those who confer regulatory authority, transparent  or consultation based, and consistent,  taking into account existing rules and regulations.

Corollary to this, the Office of the President issued Memorandum No. 27, series of 2017 which, directs among others, the NEDA to promote among regulatory agencies the use of RIA and other related tools.  In Turn, NEDA now implements the Program on Modernizing Government Regulations (MGR) in cooperation with the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Government efforts for the development and promotion of Philippine Halal Industry are underway to tap the rising demand on Halal products and services. The halal food industry is estimated to reach 3 trillion in 2021 that can be tapped by the Philippines.

This trend provides strong but challenging opportunities for the Philippines. In 2017, the Philippines only captured P5.52 billion on revenues from halal products or 8.73% of the country’s total exports valued at P63.23 billion.

To seize the opportunities on halal markets, the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Board is working vigorously on the development of Philippine Halal industry.

The Halal Board, composed of several government agencies such as the Departments of Trade, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Health, Science and Technology, is tasked by Republic Act 10817 or the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016, to “formulate, advocate, coordinate, oversee and assess the implementation of the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Program”.

Recently, the Halal Board launched the Philippine National Halal Certification Scheme and the Accreditation Guidelines at the 1^st Philippine National Halal Conference in Davao City. The National Halal Certification scheme will serve as guiding principles in accrediting halal certifiers and enable Philippine products to be accepted as halal players in global halal ecosystem.

For its part, the Department of Agriculture formulated standards for slaughtering that must be followed by halal producers. These are standards for Feeds, Agriculture and Fishery Products, Slaughtering Practice for Ruminants and Slaughtering Practice for Poultry. An accepted standard across the whole halal value chain must be in place to meet the requirements of halal markets.

“Awareness campaign is also being done to encourage exporters to improve their products to be competitive and penetrate the global Halal market”, Halal Board Chair and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said during the Halal Conference. He also enjoined the academe to include halal in its curriculum and promote research and development on halal to comply with international requirements.

Halal industry can be developed beyond food particularly in tourism, pharmaceutical, travel, modest fashion and cosmetics.