The need to upskill workers and food industries specially on Halal, both government and civil society organization partners has strengthened its ties to provide nationally certified competencies to trainers, opening the doors to employment opportunities, while contributing to increase economic activities in the country.
Last week, March 26, 2024, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Palawan has officially partnered with Palawan Halal Development Council Inc. (PHDCI) and Palawan Halal Ruminants Raisers Association (PHRRA) as part of the agency’s effort to integrate Halal into their technical vocational education and training program which the trainees will be subject to national competency upon completion of training, which is the first in the country.
The partnership was made through a signing of a Memorandum of Agreement in Puerto Princesa City between TESDA and PHDCI. Present during the activity were Regional Director Angelina Carreon, Provincial Director Gerardo Mercado, PHDCI Chief Executive Officer Said Alih Sha and PHDCI and PHRRA members.
Mercado explained that the offering of the Halal training program is the first in the Philippines and TESDA Palawan will be its pioneer implementer, since other TESDA offices in the country has not offered it yet. TESDA under the leadership of Secretary Suharto T. Mangudadatu has identified Halal as among its 10-point agenda.
PHDCI CEO Said Alih Sha welcomed this development and emphasized that this will provide employment opportunities for the locals especially in Halal industries, he said that they can also facilitate workers who wish to work in neighboring Asian countries like Malaysia.
“Tatanggap na ng mga scholars for this training program on Halal. Isa na syang ganap na training na part ng TVET program ng TESDA” Sha said.
He further said that through this training, Filipinos who wish to work abroad can work in countries like Malaysia, Brunei Darrusalam, or Arab countries which requires Halal training.
Halal is considered as a promising industry in tourism destinations like Palawan. This island province is also part of a sub-region linking neighboring countries in Asia.
Southeast Asian neighboring countries of Brunei Darrusalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines, formed in 1994 the Brunei Darrusalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) with the goal of increasing trade, investment, and tourism in the region. BIMP-EAGA consists of the entire Sultanate of Brunei Darrusalam, 10 provinces on the islands of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya in Indonesia, the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia, and Palawan and Mindanao in the Philippines.
One of the provisions of the MOA, includes the conduct of technology research on producing the desired sex for small ruminants such as goat and sheep through sex manipulation funded by TESDA.
Sha, who is also biologist, considered this technology research as significant to the country’s food security since this will produce more female offspring therefore increasing livestock production especially small ruminants like goat and sheep.
The Muslim communities in Palawan require 60,000 heads of ruminants during the Islamic feast, a volume that the locally cannot adequately supply. During Eid’l Adha, Qu’rban (a ritual animal sacrifice) requires every wealthy Muslim to give their offerings such as mutton (goat or sheep meat) for the orphans and the needy.
This new development will compliment to the BIMP-EAGA business council’s proposal for the reopening of Palawan-Borneo sea route.
Alex Paglumutan, BIMP-EAGA Business Council President and Alternate Country Director-Philippines confirmed that this reopening of sea route between Palawan and Borneo will happen this 2024. Among those who supported the move within the BIMP-EAGA is the Labuan Chamber of Commerce (LCC) of the Federal Territory of Labuan in Malaysia.
Daniel Doughty, LCC president said that enhancing maritime connectivity between Palawan and ports of the western side of Borneo including Brunei, Sepanggar, and Bintulu via Labuan, offers substantial advantages.
“This improved network solidifies the western Borneo region as a crucial partner in Palawan’s evolution into a major port hub. This development will serve not only the western regions of the Philippines but also the neighboring islands, significantly boosting the economic and logistic capacities of these areas,” he said.