PHILIPPINES: Filipino Muslims Find Eating Space

By Benedict Alibasa

A Halal Food Industry Emerges

For the five million or so Filipino Muslims, their homeland is a gastronomic challenge. Given the country’s predominantly Catholic population and the heavy influence of Chinese and American cuisines, much of the country’s dishes include pork, which Muslims cannot consume. Exacerbating the situation is the fact that most food establishments, even those located in urban centres, have limited or no knowledge of the Halal standards to be observed in food preparation.

Halal means lawful in the Arabic language. It is a term used to define any object or action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. While Halal can be applied to many facets of life, it is most commonly used in reference to food and food preparation. Islamic law prescribes the foods that can and cannot be eaten, and also the appropriate method of slaughtering animals for consumption. For example Muslims cannot consume pork or pork by-products, alcohol, carnivorous animals and animals which have not been slaughtered according to the guidelines prescribed by Islamic law.

Regrettably, not a lot of Filipinos are aware of these Islamic tenets and standards. Even in areas with significant Muslim populations, finding food establishments that serve Halal certified foods can be a daunting task. This is true even in major cities.

Halal in the City

Take for instance the case of Metro Manila, the sprawling Philippines capital that has about 12 million people, approximately 800,000 of whom are Muslims. In spite of its sizeable Muslim population, most business establishments don’t cater Halal meals, leaving most Muslims with very limited options. And even if Muslims order pork-free dishes, these foods could still be laden with “haram” (prohibited in Arabic) ingredients such as pork fat-laden oil, alcohol, or cooking utensils used for the preparation of other pork-based dishes.

It is this absence of Halal eateries that prompted Muslim entrepreneurs, such as Melanie Shaheen to open up a restaurant that serves Halal food.

In 2003, Shaheen, a ”balik-Islam” (Muslim convert) from Iloilo City, decided to open “Moud’s Chicken”, a small restaurant in Quiapo District, in Manila city. Quiapo has the largest concentration of Muslims in Metro Manila. Together with her Arab-Palestinian husband, Shaheen rented out a building near the Golden Mosque—which is at the heart of the Muslim town in Quiapo—to run her restaurant. According to Shaheen, opening the restaurant was not motivated by profit, but as a means of addressing the sheer difficulty many Muslims face when finding affordable, local, Halal food in the city. Most often than not, Muslims opt to dine at Arabic or Mediterranean restaurants just to get Halal dishes, which could be pricey at times. She said it was a pity that not a lot of establishments serve native Filipino dishes, preferred by local Muslims who are accustomed to the taste.

Named after Shaheen’s son, “Moud’s Chicken” started as a hole-in-the-wall eatery with just a wooden plank for customer dining. Living up to its name, it was Moud’s Roasted Chicken that made the restaurant popular among the local Muslim populace. Today, “Moud’s Chicken” has expanded from a just a wooden plank counter to a five-table restaurant. Shaheen later purchased the building she used to rent, expanding her business and along with it the menu, which now includes Halal burgers, dimsum, and pizza.

The Halal Spurt

Soon, other Halal establishments mushroomed in the area. Among them was Omar Ash’s “Halal Food Haus”, right across “Moud’s Chicken”. Named after its owner from Marawi City, in the southern island of Mindanao, Omar Ash serves native Maranaw and Maguindanao dishes. According to the owner, since a lot of Muslim traders in Quiapo District come from Marawi and Maguindanao, opening a restaurant serving local dishes from those provinces would be an instant hit.

A few blocks from Moud’s Chicken and Omar Ash’s are “Mofara’s Halal Food Haus”, another Maranaw restaurant which offers Filipino and Indonesian cuisines. Its menu includes beef rendang, chicken papar, and the southern Philippine specialty beef balbacua. Further down the same alley is “Pamanganan Malaysia”, a Malaysian-themed fast food restaurant owned by a Yakan tribesman Yusup Mando from Basilan Province in Western Mindanao. According to store manager Jimboy Tallah, Mr. Mando has been an avid enthusiast of Malaysian food and wanted to make these dishes available and affordable to Muslims residing in Quiapo district. Unlike most of restaurants in the vicinity, “Pamanganan Malaysia” offers free delivery to its clients. The restaurant is particularly known for their wide selection of pizza varieties that include seafood, spicy beef, spicy tuna, and the unique fish ham.

Indeed, Globo de Oro Street is slowly evolving into a Halal food haven. From just a few hole-in-the-wall food stalls, the street now boasts a string of dining establishments that serve not just Halal certified dishes, but a kaleidoscope of food specialties from the Middle East, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and of course the Philippines.

Establishing Halal Standards

For most owners of Halal food establishments sourcing ingredients remains the biggest challenge. “Moud’s Chicken” owner Shaheen said purchasing meat products from Halal  accredited slaughter houses costs her extra, since this service is not commonplace in Metro Manila. Additionally, Halal certified ingredients in local grocery stores are a rarity, and as such, need to be imported from countries that export Halal food items.

Recognizing this challenge and opportunity, the Philippine’s government has taken measures to establish national Halal standards. Just last month, the Department of Agriculture approved the national Halal standards for farm and fisheries. The move completes a process that started several years ago, that involved setting nationwide consultations with stakeholders to define and draft the Halal standards for “Halal Agriculture and Fishery Products, “Halal Slaughtering Practices for Ruminants, and “Halal Slaughtering Practices for Poultry”. The consultation involved Islamic clerics, Muslim food experts and practitioners of Shariah law, all of whom are mandated to implement strict dietary rules consistent with Islamic doctrines. According to a news report on the Manila Bulletin “these standards have already been submitted to the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry for safekeeping and propagation among food processors, markets and all parties with a stake in the Halal market.”

With Halal standards already in place, authorities are optimistic that Halal food items and its associated services will be more accessible in the country. Such access will not only be beneficial to local Muslims, but also to Muslim tourists visiting the country. With the global Muslim consumer base estimated at 1.8 billion spanning in over 100 countries, the Department of Tourism is predisposed to attract the Muslim tourism market, particularly those from the Middle East and neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.

Given these developments, Muslim entrepreneurs can now look forward to a better business environment as the observance of Halal standards becomes more ingrained in food preparation and retail outlets in the Philippines. Muslim tourists can now enjoy the country’s rich culinary tradition that has been moulded by both Eastern and Western influences.