The Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) recently conducted Islamic finance and halal industry forum in partnership with the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) with support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on September 10-11, 2015 at Al Nor Hotel, Cotabato City.

According to Rhadzni Taalim, Planning Officer III of BDA for the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP), the activity has relation to the BDP project list since it included halal in the plan.

“We had a concept to have this forum because basically, our focus is to have a structure or people who could assist us and even to come up with a study”, Taalim said.

“That is why, we come up to a recommendation to have a halal master plan and then on how we could get back the Islamic finance through Amana Bank”, Taalim added.

Accordingly, the first day of the program included presentation on Islamic finance and banking and its interest; whether it is halal or haram; and a presentation about the Amana Bank. The second day of the program was focused on halal industry.

“We will identify if this halal industry has a great potential to the Bangsamoro. If it has a big income and if we can establish it,”Taalim said.

Said forum was attended by representative from Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Regional Planning and Development Office (ARMM-RPDO), group of aleem and asatidz from island provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan, business sectors in Cotabato City and some representative from Department of Agriculture (DA-ARMM).