“Food is an important part of a tourism experience. It gives us a glimpse of a place’s culture and heritage. Through the development of Halal Culinary Tourism, we are encouraging the discovery and familiarity with the traditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters,” said Puyat.

The Secretary explained that Halal, which means ‘permissible’, is something that is clean and good for the health. “Halal is not exclusive to Muslims, it is for everybody. This is what we want to introduce through this project,” she added.

The Mindanao Halal Culinary Tourism is a project of the DOT with the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

Aside from promoting the culinary heritage of Mindanao and familiarity to its culture, the project also aims to document culinary practices of the area; create experiences and attractions by local government units (LGUs) and private enterprises for tourists; and promote Halal Tourism industry in the regions of Mindanao through culinary and heritage mapping.

Featured in the launching video of the campaign are Halal-certified and Muslim-friendly establishments across Mindanao Regions. These include: Black Seed Burger in Davao City, which features “black seed” on burger, a traditional herb among western Asian culture that is believed to have medicinal values; SpiChef in Davao City, which offers the Mango Pineapple hot sauce, an innovation of fresh and natural herbs and spices; Bay Tal Mal in Zamboanga City, which offers traditional Moro cuisines like Tiyulah Itum that is usually served during special occasions; and Hashy’s Cuisine in Cotabato City in BARMM, one of the pioneering Halal-certified sites in the region. Its culinary highlight is Sinina Kambing, a traditional Maguindanaon dish.

Also featured are: Babu Kwan and Torogan Kape in Cagayan de Oro City, Pater al-Kuwait House of Palapa in Iligan City, Dennis Coffee Garden in Zamboanga City, Mama Ping in Cotabato City, Tambilawan Kamayan Restaurant in General Santos City, and Radin’s Guinamos in Agusan del Sur.

The Halal food tourism program promises to provide tourists with a unique and flavorful experience.