THE construction of the Davao Halal testing laboratory of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is on track, an official said.
DOST-Davao Director Dr. Anthony Sales said in an interview with Sun.Star Davao that the facility is much needed this time to bolster Halal facilitation in the city, a measure to strengthen the city’s position as Halal-friendly city.
“Anytime this year the Halal testing lab is set to operate,” he said.
The laboratory will be set up at DOST-Davao office in Bajada.
At present, the country has only two Halal testing laboratories, both located in Cotabato.
“The Davao-based Halal facility is one of the four planned Halal testing lab to be constructed this year,” he said.
DOST is also planning to establish laboratories in Calabarzon region, Zamboanga and Cebu City. The department will pour some P47 million for the establishment of these halal testing laboratories.
DOST-Davao Regional Director Dr. Anthony C. Sales, in a previous report said that the halal industry is an “ecosystem”.
“We have to align our standards here with the international and global arena, if not, all these will be useless, Halal is an ecosystem that is beyond production,” Sales said.
“We have four elements to work out now to tap the huge economic advantage of Halal, the policy that will support the halal development, facilities to ensure the quality of our products and services that shall conform with global standards, programs that are consolidated wherein all stakeholders must convene and create a unified and non-fragmented roadmap and the Human resource as the local industry cannot take off because of the lack of technical experts,” he added. (ASP)